Transposition F — Updated
by J-Dude2470
Summary: A change in fate leads Frieza to arrive just as the Eternal Dragon is summoned. A panicked wish sends not only Earth's fighters, but Namek's tormentor offworld. This wish has altered Remnant's fate, as all bear witness to a tyranny like no other. As hero and monster alike descend upon Mistral, what is set in motion will rock the very pillars of the world. —Post V4; Violence-&-Lang—
1. A Very Different Wish

The last living warrior of the fading race cried out in anguish, echoing into the empty expanse. Mulberry blood seeped from the fresh wound, his limb taken as easily as a twig. It splattered upon the wild blue grass which dominated every fertile inch of this world. The long green arm hung limp in the clutch of a light violet hand, attached to a true demon in miniature.

Cruel red eyes drilled into the face of the antennaed green warrior as from his considerably higher stature, he collapsed to his knees, _where he belonged_.

A face the same shade as his hands grinned cruelly, aside from pink stripes that almost seemed to be raw muscle, a feature his upper limbs all shared along with parts of his long, thick tail. His smile was not gleeful, but utterly satisfied. The howl, the wide eyes of the shrieking creature before him… He rarely did this part of the job himself, but it was so terribly rejuvenating to exert himself so. Black horns gleaming atop his white armored head, he threw the Namekian's arm down at his splayed, three-toed feet. The limb's owner barely registered this kindness.

 _So ungrateful. To be felled by Lord Frieza himself, heir to the infinite… it was an honor ill-afforded of such meager beings._

He idly brushed a fleck of the purple ichor off his banded, burnt-orange pauldrons. One might believe this and his similarly armored chest were some manner of clothing, but it was quite natural, though it served to inspire the uniforms of his underlings.

"Oh, by all means, knit that back on and continue," Frieza offered, voice drenched with mockery before it krept lower. "I'm nothing if not a mark for a lost cause." He let his head dip, the lustrous purple inset which covered much of it shimmering with the light of the green skies. "Or… are we to suspend this, and you give me the password?"

His teeth bared, the Namekian struggled to his feet, gingerly extending the stump of his arm.

Frieza glowered. "And what do you intend to achieve in _that_ state? The obstinance of your race would be intriguing, _inspiring_ even, had it not gotten the lot of you kil—"

" _HhhhrrrRAAAAGH!"_ The Namekian warrior's cry played prelude to a burst of viscous lime-green mucus from his wound, as a perfect, full replacement of his lost arm speared into being from seemingly nothing.

As he panted, flexing his new limb, even the vicious emperor himself was surprised into near speechlessness.

Near.

"My oh my," Frieza breathed, eyes alight with intrigue, "An innate ability of regeneration… it seems I'll need to reprimand the medical branch of my research and development for having missed such unique and miraculous traits." He tapped his Scouter, the postmodern monocle chirping as it logged the technique. "A little note for tomorrow, to ensure I don't forget in the victorious haze of my newfound immorta—"

The Scouter trilled again, an arrow blinking on it, bidding him to glance. For some reason, the device interpreted him as enabling the 'scan known signatures' function.

Curiosity got his goat, and he humored the gadget. Five blinking red marks came into view, tagged in different positions on the planet. Three clustered around somewhere in the middle of the endless Namekian wastes. The other two were smack in the midst of his ship. He wouldn't jump to conclusions normally… but he only received this Scouter _after_ Zarbon and Dodoria were already dispatched. No other major signatures, and five flatlines. _His Ginyu Force had been killed?!_

The vile lord's mind spun, torn several directions. Fury that his greatest elites had _failed_ him… confusion at how Vegeta might have managed that at all… fear that his Dragonballs lay unguarded, enemies no doubt pawing around for them like confounded curs!

"Hey! We're not finished here!" the Namekian shouted, before a fuchsia ray pierced his knee and forced him to sink back to a kneel.

"The password!" Frieza demanded, finally turning his attention to the wounded warrior. "Time is short, but I can still wring a _lifetime's_ suffering out of ours! Tell me! _Now!"_

The Namekian smiled. "Fight me for it! Come on, you can do better than that!"

Frieza stared, locking eyes with his foe. Something was… _off_. Bravado was usually extinguished after the gap between his challengers and himself was revealed in any capacity. The man was either incorruptibly principled and courageous, or…

The Namekian glanced off into the distance for but an instant, into the same direction he had come fro—

 _The child._

He'd passed a tiny Namekian headed the other way on his course to their elder. Of all the places to flee, crossing his very path…?

Frieza's nostrils flared. _"You're stalling_. My defeat was never your intent at all." In a flash, he'd pinned the Namekian on his back, foot on his chest and squeezing. "I passed a young Namekian on my way here, you know. Would you suppose they were of any consequence?"

The Namekian's lip tightened as his eyebrows lifted, not breaking his gaze. The silence gave him away.

Frieza blasted off and away into the endless sky, back to his ship, air ripping with his speed. He'd recover his hover-throne later. He'd be damned if these little fools were going to ruin this day!

 _All would burn._

* * *

The boy in the blue armor, barely a few years more than a toddler, kept watch over their temporary haven… right in their enemy's backyard.

Frieza's ship was abandoned… or as abandoned as a place _could_ be after its various guards and Ginyus had been wiped from it one way or another. For now the powerful lad with his curtain of black hair, Son Gohan, could only keep watch of the foot diameter amber treasures they came so far for.

The Dragonballs. Each apportioned an identifying series of red stars within, all factions planetside had tailored their actions for their sake, all for a single all-important wish from the Eternal Dragon. For them, it was simply to revive the friends whose lives were lost in the Saiyan attack on Earth… to the very man inside the nearby ship with his healing father. It was a fragile truce, but the terror of Frieza was enough to keep it. Even Gohan, the half-Saiyan, half-human child knew it was only time and opportunity that spared them from a knife in their backs.

"Hey, Gohan!" a welcome voice called from the sky.

He shot to his feet, just catching one of the huge Dragonballs as it made to roll away, the figure in black landing in front of him. "Krillin! What happened, you're already ba—"

Gohan looked up to see Krillin, incense burns dimpling his bald head, was not alone. With him, looking meek, was their little Namekian friend Dende, who eyed the collected Dragonballs with evident anticipation.

"Yep!" Krillin confirmed, confident but hurried. "We gotta make this quick though, help me with these!" he said, picking up as many of the awkwardly huge spheres as he could.

Gohan looked confused, but picked a ball up in compliance.

"That awful Frieza person," Dende said, fear on his face, "he was already on his way to Grand Elder Guru after I left! Nail will have to stall for time, and if he… if he kills Guru…"

"This'll all be for nothing!" Krillin finished, taking off.

"Why aren't we summoning _here_ then?!" Gohan asked, still dutifully picking up a second ball as Dende swooped in to help.

Krillin's eyes scanned the area nervously. "Because if Vegeta finds out, he's gonna bully his way to the front of the line! We didn't come all this way to give him what he wanted on Earth!"

Gohan considered, looking to Frieza's ship. It was all very dangerous… but an enraged Vegeta soon was better than an invincible Vegeta forever. He was only worried about his father, still healing and vulnerable...

* * *

"I _hate_ Namek."

It was practically a mantra at this point, if only it would lead to any form of enlightenment besides the conclusion of 'Namek SUCKS', because she'd figured _that_ one out a long time ago.

She puttered along on her hover bike, blue hair flowing in the wind. Even she wasn't sure what she was there for anymore. Goku had gotten here in a ship with an automated guidance system. A little more work and those two could've gotten here without her, and she'd be spared all this crap! They didn't utilize her anyway! Bulma Briefs, who basically _owned_ and ran the highest of the high tech corporations on Earth, and who _directly_ contributed to solving the major non-alien/supervillain problems mankind faced! Stop looking at my Dragon Radar, my eyes are up _here!_

And she'd been told to stay put and babysit Dragonballs while they did everything themselves! Never time to explain, never asked how she might weigh in! Of course not, maybe they'd accomplish something! Couldn't have _that!_

 _Instead_ she'd been abandoned. Last she heard, Goku was planetside, and yet things had only gotten worse for her. Gigantic killer crabs, alien soldiers, alien _dinosaurs_ — _what?!—!_ It was a never-ending parade of monsters and mayhem! She didn't even have the Dragon Radar to find where everyone _was!_

"Well… on the bright side, Namek has pretty stable weath—"

 _She had to open her mouth._

Something pink and purple ripped by overhead, a dust storm following in its wake to blow her immediately off course. She wailed and screamed as she fought the storm, the bottom of her bike kicking up sparks as it ground over stone from the island beneath her. A final blast of wind sent her into a spin, and she wiped out, submerged with a splash in a swamp as the dust finally settled.

She shook her head like a dog, sitting in the knee-deep water as she sourly watched her bike bob like a cork. "Alright… hit the roulette wheel. _Any_ planet but this one. Streams of lava… acid rain. Your move, Kami…"

And then a fish hopped onto her head.

* * *

The widow-peaked Prince of the fledgling Saiyan race awoke with a start. It took him a moment to remember where he was, but everything surged back as he glimpsed the taller man in the orange and blue fighting gi floating peacefully in his healing tank.

He was on Frieza's ship. Somewhere that, if his senses weren't lying to him, was about to become the most dangerous spot on this or _any_ planet. He found the nearest way out of the vessel, his ragged spike of hair barely bending to the wind as he leapt out to where the Dragonballs were—

" _Gone?!"_ he barked, terror in his harsh eyes. The balls, Kakarot's kid… nowhere!

He burst into the air, careful to suppress his energy, lest Frieza detect him. The better view let him search faster, until—

 _There_. Nestled a half mile off, just out of sight of the ship. He tore over in seconds, startling the trio as he landed, dust kicking everywhere.

"V-Vegeta!" cried Gohan, before he was gut-checked and collapsed, winded.

"Treacherous little sneak-thieves! One wish wasn't enough?! Not even _two?!_ " Vegeta shouted, before scruffing the Namekian child and lifting him to eye-level. "I suppose _he's_ our little master key?! Got the password then, do you?!"

Krillin stepped forward, eyes full of concern. "Yes, it's in Namekian! Put him down!"

"Good!" Vegeta said, a smile sneaking onto his cruel features as he threw the kid down in a heap. "Get to it then, Frieza's on his way!"

Dende had been prepared… or so he thought. But if Frieza was coming, it almost certainly meant that Nail… Nail was...

Dende complied, shaking as his hands hovered over the humming spheres. He took a breath. " _Eilíft Porunga, með þínu nafni, kalla ég þig fram!"_

In but a second it was clear it had worked. A twisted smile graced Vegeta's visage as the light of the world seemed to be siphoned away. Far and away, the glow of the Dragonballs was the brightest thing for miles, as a towering pillar of light blasted into the skies. It twisted and flowed, like a river of power before it formed the shape of something huge. Green bodied, it's underside beige, the heavenly beast's tail began where they all stood and tapered into something grand. Wide as a building, the dragon's chest and arms were like a bodybuilder's, its lumpy horned head looking small as red eyes glinted down upon them.

"W-whu-whoa…!" Krillin muttered. "And I thought _Shenron_ could be intimidating! This guy's _enormous!"_

The dragon spoke in a booming, but peaceful voice. _"Ég er eilífur Porunga. Enn einu sinni eru sjö saman. Ég mun veita þremur langanir þínar. Talaðu, í hvaða tilgangi er ég kallaður?"_

Dende nodded, turning to the group. "Porunga says he'll grant us three wishes."

Gohan stared while Krillin and Vegeta offered wordless exclamations of surprise.

" _Three!"_ Krillin cried. " _Wow,_ didn't want to get my hopes up, but that Nail guy was right on the money! Maybe _everyone_ can get what they want… and Vegeta doesn't have to _kill_ us."

The Saiyan Prince scoffed. "I'll take it under advisement, baldie. First thing's first, kid! Wish for my immortality! Nothing else matters until then!"

Dende froze, looking between all of them.

The Prince stomped forward. "Well?! Did you hear what I said?! Frieza's coming, and if I'm not immortal, we're all going to—"

"I-I _can't!"_ Dende cried, not in defiance. "Y-you've killed so many of our people! Someone like you…"

Vegeta growled, taking a menacing step forward. "Idiot! There's no _time_ for this petty griping! Make the wish! Or I'll…! I…"

Vegeta froze stiff, eyes becoming saucer-like as he stared past Dende into the distance. He stammered without words, as the others turned their heads, feeling it before they even saw it.

A humming laugh reached their ears, as a sound like a creaking spring grew louder and louder. "Tut tut, Vegeta… have you learned nothing from my example?" They all froze like statues as Frieza stalked between them, eyes only turning to glance at Vegeta as he passed him on the side. "No no, you don't _reason_ with them for what you demand. Threatening is _far_ more effective."

Vegeta dared to turn around, to find Frieza had reached the other side of their circle, back turned to them.

"But I must say, you've all done such a _splendid_ job of setting this up for me, my mood is quite alleviated. If this is an act of penance, it's a worthy start, and the uniforms are _most_ becoming." Frieza delighted in it all. A captive audience, his every whim soon fulfilled…

"Vegeta, I'm in _such_ a good mood, I'm almost inclined to _give_ you your wish!"

"What?!" Vegeta bellowed, certain he must have heard wrong. "You would—?!"

Frieza laughed openly, head turning to meet his gormless gaze. "Oh Vegeta… your ignorance is so endearing. You see, even if you were made to be invulnerable, you simply haven't the might to compete with what I am!

"You would possess an everlasting body, but be capable of nothing. Clash with me for ten-thousand years, and _all_ of it will be naught but your own agonizing shrieks as I introduce you to ever more creative means of pain and suffering!"

Vegeta bared his teeth as Frieza finally turned around, his amusement visibly waning.

"Your vision is as thin as my temper, and it honestly _insults_ me! To be immortal is but a waste if one is not _also_ mighty! There is a name for an eternal existence of misery and anguish, and we of sound faculty call it _Hell!_ "

Vegeta snapped free of his fear, pride swelling as he laughed, pointing to Frieza suddenly. "Why don't you _try_ it then, Frieza! I've come farther than you know!"

"The pride cometh before the fall…" Frieza sighed. "But all will be moot, you see, as I will now have that which is mine by right of birth!" In but a flash, Frieza was beside Dende, a hand around his neck as he lifted him high. "Make the wish! _Make me immortal!"_

Dende barely got a moment to stammer before a boot slammed into Frieza's ear. Surprised and growling, he slid back, releasing his hold on the young Namekian as Vegeta swept in again to clash with the awful emperor.

Gohan and Krillin stepped back as the area exploded with movement. Vegeta and Frieza were nearly matched as the prince fended off the ever enraging demon. A bit of plateau smashed off without obvious cause, before a supportive landing leg on Frieza's ship blew out, the saucer craft listing suddenly. Blasts of gold and fuschia added to the chaos as Dende huddled by Porunga's tail in terror.

Not helping, Frieza managed to stand before him again, but finally the two earthlings joined in. A headbutt from Gohan shoved Frieza away as Krillin extended his palms and put them to both sides of his head.

" _Taiyo-ken!"_

And then the arena was awash with blinding light, staggering Frieza and stopping a charging Vegeta in his tracks.

"Dende, make the wish!" Krillin commanded, awaiting Frieza's next move.

"I...I…"

Gohan looked to him as well. "Just anything! Anything that will help!"

"I… wish…!" Dende simpered, blinded and scared…

Finally, he turned to the Dragonballs, hands spreading. "Ég vildi að þeir myndu allir koma—"

Frieza turned towards the sound, and his finger shone with power.

"—aftur til þar sem mennirnir komu frá!"

There was a sound of great power from the dragon, as it's eyes glowed brilliantly. " _Það verður gert…"_

All eyes were on Frieza as he aimed for the Namekian child, his one eye peeking open as his teeth ground with rage. Vegeta took a chance and charged, going for a low sweep with his leg.

...But as Dende cowered, Frieza vanished in a burst of light. As did Vegeta, and Gohan… There was even a burst somewhere on the horizon, until Dende found himself alone with the Grand Dragon.

" _Fyrsta ósk þín er veitt…"_ Porunga boomed, shaking Dende to reality once more. " _Hvað verður næsta ósk—?"_

But at once Porunga's eyes went black, and he seemed to wilt. A great blast of energy signified the dragon's departure, and the huge orange spheres went dull grey, slamming into the soft dirt as naught but stone.

"N-no! _Guru…! I… I'm all alone…"_

Indeed. The wind whistled in the silence and desolation, as the young Namekian, the last of his race could do little else but to take it all in.

* * *

Lord Frieza saw Namek, and the brat doing who-knew-what with his wish, fade away even as he fired his Death Beam. In an instant, he was somewhere else entirely. He barely glimpsed thatched roofs, baked clay brick buildings, tall fronded trees and lots and _lots_ of sand before his late projectile illuminated the twilight of the evening.

The building in front of him had its roof blasted clean off in a cone, as the pink spear pierced the sky, busting clouds as it made for the horizon. The sound of the beam was followed only by its own echo, as it found a pre-broken moon and struck a fragment in its shattered mass. There was a blinding flare as the fragment he struck exploded, pieces raining down upon the larger moon surface and leaving dirty pockmarks, like gunpowder.

With his sudden appearance, the obliteration of a building and damage to a natural satellite, he'd gotten the attention of the entire square as he turned. Numerous colorful civilians, some with feral features, fled from his irate visage in a flurry… All of them looked as human as the fools who played party to sabotaging his moment of triumph. Others stayed, caught looking between him and the moon, trying to piece together what was surely impossible. Some were simply frozen to the spot, or had collapsed to their knees.

As he drank in his surroundings, seeing large industrial buildings and refineries in the distance, he knew enough that he had left Namek far behind. Given his surroundings, he wondered if this wasn't Earth. A reality that might be fortuitous for laying low the fools that did this to him…

But…

Frieza stalked towards an outdoor bar, upon whose stools sat four patrons too stupid, scared or intoxicated to have fled. The hawk-winged male around the bar's corner opted too late to summon the courage to flee, sprinting away only for Frieza to point his way.

A hanging beer-bottle-turned-decorative-lamp shattered from the awning as an invisible force raced and caught him, leaving the terrified faunus running chillingly in place before Frieza swept his hand sharply left. The man screamed as he was flung into a dusty box truck, which flipped onto its side a split second before it exploded, flooding the marketplace with flickering light. It danced against his pitiless red eyes.

A decidedly sloshed young woman with chartreuse hair in curtains shrank into the arms of her bewildered boyfriend, his flesh-colored mustache not helping his gormless expression.

"If you want any chance of surviving this night, you'll learn from his example!" he shouted, the three, plus the old bartender shrinking as he finally made use of his voice.

He turned to the ragged old man, beholding him like a phantom. The man dared to speak, his dialect clashing slightly against Frieza's transatlantic tones. He was instantly reminded of one of the Ginyus.

"Y-you some kind a' Faunus, are ya? I—"

"What world is this?" he demanded.

"W-w… _world_ , mate?"

" _Yes!_ This diseased dirtball hanging in the cosmic infinite!"

"Ain't no 'sease here, sir!"

Frieza kicked the —mounted— stool out from under him, catching him by the neck before he even hit the floor. " _Earth_! Is! This! Planet! Earth!?"

"N-n...n-no sir! This planet's called Remnant!"

" _Liar!"_ Frieza shrieked, tail rearing up out of nowhere to slam him through the liquor shelf behind the bar. He didn't get up.

Frieza let his fingertip shine with power, fanning it across the few remaining.

"No, man, this is _Remnant!_ You're in the Kingdom of Vacuo!"

Frieza showed what he considered deep restraint, as he aimed his barbs at the man and his flesh-colored mustache. His girlfriend slammed her eyes shut, sinking low. " _I'll not ask again!"_ he cried. "This world is rife with human refuse… If this is not Earth, then kindly direct me to it! This _must_ be an Earth colony… come forward, and I may yet spare this wretched wayward rock!"

The bartender finally opted to speak, drawing Frieza's gaze. "T-there's been several tries by the Atlesians to send rockets out into space, but it's all been failed! They lose power once they get too far from the ground!

"I'm telling you, we don't know what 'Earth' is!" he insisted, flinching every time Frieza twitched.

Frieza glanced between the members of his small audience, _daring_ them to reveal the lie in their eyes… but ultimately he saw none. " _Damn it!"_ he growled lowly, turning his back and lowering his hand. "Of all the places, a civilization that's yet to develop proper space travel!"

A wave of relative relief took the survivors, even the chartreuse-haired girl, who had stopped shaking. The mustachioed man dared to inquire further. "So you're a space alien or something, right? Do you really _need_ our air? Can't you just… breathe through your skin or whatever?"

The human's question was… idiotic. And yet, Frieza found it in him to smile and bark with laughter. "Haha! In spite of your limitless shortcomings, my dear inebriate, you present an imminently viable stratagem!

"And indeed, once I've charted a course for the nearest civilized system, I can reduce this 'Remnant' to ashes!"

"...Oh," was the man's only reply.

Frieza considered, pacing in the square. "In which case, I'll need to scope where nearest I can find such basic information. I don't suppose you creatures would know of the nearest _unburned_ library, place of governance, or…" Frieza chuckled. "Perhaps some overly complicated sundial made of stone and mortal fear for the next solar eclipse?"

"W-Well," the barkeep began, "Vacuo rejected any _formal_ governin'... but _everyone_ recognizes Shade Academy and its Huntsmen."

"Lawless but for academia?" Frieza whispered. "What a bizarre dream…"

"Well, Shade is one a' the _Huntsmen_ academies, training the greatest of warriors!"

"Ah," Frieza uttered, in mock apology, "Pardon me, lawless but for writ of muscle and brawn… truly, you hominids are all peas in the proverbial pod."

In the square far behind Frieza, a gout of flame illuminated the streets as a blonde woman with what _looked_ to be a small rocket engine lowered herself onto the dirt from above, blonde curls waving in the wash of heat. Frieza barely turned to glance at the minor spectacle, as yet more curiosities followed.

Red hair streaked with blonde, another female swooped in on steel wings attached to her back. Their component 'feathers' looked to hover beside each other independently as she was held aloft by a humming antigravity.

Gripping her wrists and only letting go as she neared the ground was… yet _another_ female. A brunette with purple eyes, knocking a strange golden bow of multiple strings with multiple projectiles.

Lastly it seemed, a male with a cat's tail and ears took a flying leap from a rooftop, age-defying grey hair fluttering over glowing green eyes. His tall brown boots slid across an awning before he tumbled onto his feet wielding — _of all things_ — a dagger.

The evident leader, the bow-wielding brunette, approached them slowly. "How's business, tapster?" she asked the barkeep. "Seen anyone… _strange?"_

Frieza smiled, feeling the stalking behavior of the four as they formed ranks behind him. "I must say," Frieza began, tilting his head, "exemplary response time… for one asleep at the switch."

The blonde with the flame weapon stepped forward, the rasp in her voice pronounced with a growl. "I don't know if you're a faunus, a _freak_ , or even a human being," she added, looking him over with as much curiosity as caution, "but this ends _here_. We're taking you in."

"Gretta…" the brunette warned.

Frieza's tail wobbled dangerously behind him. "Oh, why, even among my own people, 'freak' might fill out my size of boot," he admitted, the cat faunus looking down at his odd feet and silently agreeing.

"I _am_ something of a _lusus naturae_ … but that is but one term of many."

"Let's start with a name."

His arms drifted behind his back, hand gripping his other elbow as his chest puffed out. "Very well," he said, turning at last, red eyes gleaming. "I am Lord Frieza, Emperor of All. The single most potent being this side of Creation, and sole heir to all I survey therein.

"From the first sweltering breath of the sun's birth at the start of the cosmos to the bitter crushing supernova _blasting_ at its end, my reign is absolute. If not a god by birth, I _shall_ be by _right_ of birth!"

All present stood frozen as he spoke. Confusion and fear were thick on the air.

"What I am… is dominance. And bitter fear."

He let the words hang as he closed his eyes "This is the part where you bow, if you've not gleaned its meaning."

He opened his eyes. The bar patrons were cowering on the floor, and he suspected the unseen barman was doing likewise. His challengers, however, stared at him like he were some strange and dangerous animal. "Oh? Not impressed?" he asked, the amusement in his eyes growing. "My, you must all be quite the fighters then. Who did you say you were?"

The winged one, hanging listlessly, nearly danced at the question before the brunette held a hand out to her and spoke again. "Maia, not now…" she ordered, the redhead wilting in compliance. "I'm Jackie Magnus. This is my team, MMGP. That's all you need to know."

" ' _Magpie?' "_ Frieza repeated before letting out a single jolt of mirth from his shut lips. "Rather on the nose for a mercenary group."

"We're not for sale, if that's what you're suggesting," Jackie told him. "We're bringing you up to see Dhalia, at Shade."

"That gonna be a problem?" Gretta demanded, as Frieza's eyes drifted eerily to meet hers, his head not moving.

Finally he laughed. "Fortune favors you ill… As it happens, I was already set to visit this Academy of yours when you crossed my path! But Lord Frieza will _not_ go anywhere under the context of custody."

Maia touched ground, her wings audibly winding down. "An escort, maybe?" she offered helpfully.

Nobody answered her. The silent standoff went on for several seconds.

"I'm torn," Frieza admitted at last. "Part of me almost wishes to offer you a shot at walking away from this… but I'd be lying to myself if I said I wasn't in the mood." Frieza barely twitched as an invisible, blasting force kicked up dust, cracked the earth and staggered the group as one.

Jackie gave a silent command… and the massacre began.

* * *

For the second time in days, Ruby Rose, the girl with silver eyes was in the fight of her life. Clad in her tattered red cape, she huddled with the rest of Team RNJR, the survivors of what once was Team JNPR… but that was another story.

On their way to Mistral, and Haven Academy therein, a number of unexpected events had driven them to desperation. Her uncle, the Huntsman Qrow Branwen, had arrived to help them fight off a deadly foe. Only known as Tyrian, the scorpion-tailed faunus had come for Ruby herself, to capture and deliver her to his master. Why her? Well, that was the purpose of their entire journey. Ruby Rose, with her silver eyes, held a special power. One that she did not understand, let alone could control, but had saved her and probably many others on that horrid night. _The Fall of Beacon Academy_.

Having lost contact with her original squad, Team RWBY, she regrouped and set out. Knowing she could be the difference once more, she felt no other choice made sense. As they learned, Qrow had been tailing them the whole way, as they ventured out to right the many wrongs that had befallen their world of Remnant… and ruined their lives.

Qrow had been poisoned in the battle with Tyrian, and was only growing worse by the hour. Hoping to find medical supplies, Ruby and the blonde swordsman Jaune Arc had split off from the party into the destroyed town of Kuroyuri, but nothing had been forthcoming. Instead, the other half of their team, the softspoken Lie Ren and bubbly, redheaded hammer-grenadier Nora Valkyrie, had come running back to them before they were intercepted by… _that_.

Yes, _that_ … being a Grimm like Ruby had never seen before. Colossal, twisted, and disturbing in all its behavior and appearance. It was unique from any she had ever seen, and likely, utterly ancient. It stood on a dark horse's massive body, but unlike nearly _all_ Grimm, it's top half took the form of a man. A demonic rider, fused to its mount, lanky arms dragging the ground as it occasionally hung over the horse body like a corpse.

It had been a perilous fight, but a plan was beginning to form. "Ren. Jaune and I can take care of its arms," Ruby offered, Jaune catching her eye and nodding.

"I'll take care of the horse," Nora declared, hefting her great hammer, Magnhild.

Lie Ren took a calming breath. "And I'll take care of the rest."

The beastly thing gave an otherworldly shriek as it refocused its assault, arms blasting towards them like prehensile harpoons. They scattered, beginning to take their positions on this last gambit.

The hulking Grimm with its deceptively swift and deadly strikes sent one of its arms exploding towards her. Crescent Rose in hand, her beloved sniper-scythe, Ruby leapt away. She fired shot after shot until she was perfectly positioned. The scythe snapped into glaive-mode for the plunge on the exposed limb.

And then a spear of light appeared to form on the ground, and at first she thought the Grimm had a new trick, until a black haired child in some strange blue, white and gold armor literally popped into existence. With a shriek, she abandoned her strike, firing at the beast to re-angle herself. As she landed with a skid, the child turned to meet her eyes with bewilderment.

At that instant, a pink flash overtook everything, and she was transfixed as part of the Moon's broken fragments silently detonated with the same colored light. She felt a searing unease at the sight...

Unfazed however, the massive Grimm's limb instead seized the boy around the feet and began whipping him around as a weapon.

"Umm…"

"What the heck was _that?!"_ Nora demanded, staring at the sky.

"Ruby!" Ren called. "What's happening?"

"Why didn't you— _Is that a KID?!"_ added Jaune, as the young boy was dragged across the ground towards a building.

Ren saw the boy, memories flaring of _another_ black-haired child, who suffered greatly in this very town.

Ren leapt in front of him, shielding the child as he was slammed into the structure, shaking off decaying paint as the young Huntsman slumped to the floor with a groan.

" _REN!"_ Ruby and Nora shouted, knowing full well his aura, their shield against harm had been depleted before this.

The boy got his bearings at last, seeing the young man that protected him harmed. He surged with power, a brilliant white burst overtaking him as he dug his heels into the ground. Digging a trench with his feet, he came to a stop and tugged on the monster's limb. It shrieked with frustration as it pulled right back.

Ren found Nora at his side in an instant as he swooned, Ruby bringing up the rear. "Are you okay?!" Nora demanded as Ren looked up.

"I'm fine…!" he groaned. "What about the… boy."

They all stared as the child of only a handful of years forced the Grimm to struggle, wreathed in white flame.

The awful creature shot its other limb in desperation, but the boy merely gave a tilt of his head to dodge it as it overshot. The child pinned the extended limb under his arm as the beast wailed helplessly, both its weapons nullified. He brought his arms up over his head and whipped the limbs down, a rippling wave running the length of them back to their owner, which was knocked off its hooves and onto its front. Granting the monster no quarter, he whipped right, sending its body skidding into the tower Nora had previously chosen for a perch.

The building's front collapsed in a landslide of rubble as the thing shrieked in pain, but it wasn't over yet. Yanking towards himself, the giant Grimm sailed back as he released the limbs. It coiled its arms as the child cocked his fist back, and all eyes were watching with utter surreality as he stood his ground.

None of them even saw the blow this wunderkind sent out from his short arm, but they felt its collision in the very earth as it connected with its horrible face, like a mortar firing. The Grimm's body seemed to flow over him, gelatinously, before the boy and his fist punched through. The Grimm let out a low, agonized moan of death, as its mass instantly became a pillar of smoke rising slowly into the sky.

The boy stepped out, surprised, but pleased as he glanced towards the group. "Hey, are you guys alright?!" he shouted, advancing at a sprint.

Team RNJR only stared, slightly intimidated at the youngster's approach.

"So… did I hit my head harder than I thought?" Ren asked.

* * *

Maia kicked off, her wing components taking aim and raining down plasma shots as bar patrons scattered, hobbling out of harm's way. Jackie Magnus fired her bow, the array of projectiles separating into a net. Gretta's flamer popped off like a massive roman candle, concussive blasts of sparks lashing out with every impact.

The chaos ended once Jackie clenched a right-angled fist in command, and the dust and fire ebbed to show nothing where Frieza had stood. "Check the bar, pipsqueak might've hopped over i—"

"Oh, apologies! Was all that meant for me?" called the voice from behind.

Gretta was last to turn, shaken by the sound's proximity. She gave a war cry, whirling around as a red-hot bayonet sprang from her weapon's barrel, the length of the thing concealing it. It snapped upon contact with his neck, but that wasn't what shocked her, as a sharp-nailed hand lunged forward…

There was an awful splitting sound, a sickening crack, as Gretta's aura —the same blue as her eyes— flared and went out. The weapon clattered against the dirt, discarded. Her eyes bulged, instantly streaming in agony, as her teammates beheld the same hand poking out of her back with its fingers extended.

"Oh gods, _no!"_ Maia shouted. _"Gretta, NO!"_

Frieza's eyes bored into hers as her body below the point of impalement went limp… his arm having blown through her spine. Arms still of use, she clutched the limb that ran her through, even as blood stained her gown below the sternum. She spluttered and gave shallow breaths, but did not speak. Frieza tilted his head, regarding her coldly as his free hand fiddled with his scouter.

"Hmm… curious. You've some manner of energy field, as if it matters. And your power level…" He glanced at the others in turn, the grey faunus speechless, their winged blaster overcome and their leader livid.

"Ha! Consistently menial! If quite average for my own soldiers. Yet you seem to exert even _less_ than what you possess…"

" _SHUT UP! LET HER GO!"_ shrieked Maia, whose wings spread before she took towards Frieza like a shot.

"No, maintain ranks! MAIA!"

"Very well, have her then!" Frieza laughed, launching Gretta off his arm and into his assailant. Both tumbled to a stop, a mere fifteen feet away.

Growling with frustration, Jackie stepped forward, reaching into a pocket and pulling a handful of large seeds. She flicked them forward, onto Frieza and the earth he stood upon, then swiftly extending her hand. Frieza watched the strange attack with vague interest, as thick vines split from the seeds and began coiling around Frieza every way they could find. "Get outta _this,_ you BASTARD!"

Then from her belt, she began to sling a salvo of tech-tomahawks, their heads full of fire dust which ignited after embedding in the vines. Frieza's two fingers caught one headed for his face, his victim's blood still literally on his hand.

Meanwhile, Maia was trying in vain to stabilize Gretta, as she choked and wheezed on the ground, blood in her mouth. "Nnngh…! Gh… H-Hans…" she gulped on the floor, eyes unfocused. "M'... sorry, I s...aid I w-wouldn't… d… dah…"

The blonde-streaked redhead sat wordless as her teammate gave a last rattle and went silent. Hands over her mouth, she gasped for air as she shook her head.

Frieza's body surged with power, glowing fuschia as the smouldering vines broke apart around him as he dusted off idly, staring at the desperate leader whose teeth ground with frustration.

" _MONSTER! HOW_ _ **COULD**_ _YOU?! MURDERER!"_ came a shrill cry, as all barrels of Maia's wings fired and hit home, forcing Jackie to stagger back.

"HEY, you'll overheat those linking fire like tha—!"

But another similar shot pockmarked the ground as Maia swooped towards Frieza, her gossamer periwinkle suit fluttering madly.

Frieza fired twin rays from his eyes, the other-most feathers of her wings caught, instantly belching hot fluorescent plasma behind her. But as Frieza prepared for the frontal assault with a knife-hand strike ready, she nearly vanished. "Hmm?" Frieza hummed as something fluttered past his face.

Maia had shrunk to the size of a rodent and flanked the cosmic menace, finding the base of his spine and plunging her arms forward. Though small, she was no less strong in this form, putting every ounce of force into a single point. In the right situation, Maia Tommelise was deadly when she needed to be. For good measure, she kicked away and hit the same spot with her still functioning barrels. She disengaged her semblance and returned to full size, turning to see the fruit of her—

She had only an instant to see the horned thing looking up at her with a predatory gaze, utterly unhurt, before those red eyes lit up again.

This time his aim was flawless, striking the plasma reserves of her wings, which ignited. The resulting blast tore her wings apart and dropped her from the sky, obliterating her aura and leaving her exposed to the jewel blue and green plasma. It stuck to her like napalm, leaving her to writhe as she was immolated, screaming even as her long hair was reduced to cinders.

Jackie sat stunned, watching as the plasma mercifully consumed her quickly. "Oh g-god…! Oh… my god…!"

Frieza watched as the leader's will to fight broke, stuck staring at the spot, arms hung limply at her side. He aimed his finger when he found a dagger at his throat.

"Not just yet, _bastardo,_ now you're in the claws of Cagliuso Perrault."

"I see learning from example is a premium on this world…" Frieza groaned with mild amusement. "So, cat-man, what makes you think your little toy will have any further effect than your chums?"

" _Io non,"_ he replied, before his body literally vanished.

"Hmm?" Frieza wondered curiously, glancing around before he made out Perrault at the end of the square, running like the devil was chasing him. The vicious lord was speechless but a moment, before he burst out in laughter. A violet light flew idly from his finger, passing through the catatonic leader's head before she crumpled in a heap.

In a flash that —to human eyes— was instantaneous, Frieza appeared in the alley before Perrault, who gasped as he came to an awkward stop. His harsh features found a way to showcase amazement, as Frieza pointed a single finger, and slowly tapped him in the forehead with it as he watched in a cold sweat.

His short cackle filled the street. "Now _that_ is a change of pace, my slippery friend! I've always held a modicum of respect for those shrewd enough to recognize the patently obvious. Such are the righteous fools I encounter with almost _disturbing_ regularity."

Perrault shook, not finding it in him even to back away, lest it provoke him. "Please, _Signore_ … no, _Imperatore!_ I am your humble servant! My life is my wage! Command this body!"

Frieza hummed with laughter, retracting his hand and crossing his arms. "Do keep up then. We're to pay a visit to your alma mater. There is education to be had for everyone, I think… on a great many subjects."

* * *

 ** _A/N: And thus the adventure begins..._**

 ** _Hi folks, and thanks for giving this story's debut a chance! Hope you like what's on offer so far!_** ** _I've wanted to write this story for a long time, and had to wait for Volume 5's conclusion to be sure I could get it right._**

 ** _That having been said, "Transposition F" is going to be very 'pick and choose' about the canon. Characters might change, settings might be different than they were shown in the series, events might transpire a very different way. Basically, everything in Volume 4 is sacrosanct, but I reserve the right to alter Volume 5 at will in the areas where it... "erred". This is by and large done in the name of a better, more interesting story and world. So if you see something that contradicts Volume 5, don't rush to review and tell me I'm mistaken... because it might have been a deliberate decision. I will try to explain the major stuff when I can here._**

 _ **Make no mistake, I love RWBY, and I love Dragonball, and both will be fulfilled as best as I possibly can. There's a hurricane a' coming'...**_

 _ **So hey, you might ask... isn't it a bit convenient and contrived that Dende wished them off planet, and they all ended up on the same world? Well... it WOULD be, yeah...**_

 _ **But Fun fact: The Namekian language used here is NOT gibberish, and in fact, CAN be translated. Perhaps this might shed some light...**_

 _ **Anyway, thanks to none other than XMan321 of "Power Within" for being here all throughout the writing process from inception to proofreading. Thanks to Cruzerblade for playing a similar role, but more recently, and to fellows like Sivam of "This War of Mine" and "Pride of Four" and Doomguy914 for further proofreading and support!**_

 _ **—And thank you to my wife for putting up with me and my nonsense—**_


	2. First Impressions

She was finally doing it. She was leaving. She couldn't take this back.

Weiss Schnee stepped out the escape door, one of several on the Schnee property her father had built out of fear. The Schnees were among the richest on Remnant, and the only name worth mentioning in the dust market.

Dust, the source of energy in all forms, limitless in application and mysterious in origin. It had made Weiss' grandfather a titan of industry, and their family a name worthy of respect. But her father…

She found it funny that one of Jacques Schnee's contingencies, this safeguard against consequences, was her own way out. A way out of subjugation, and control. From the man that had barged his way into their family and purged Nicholas Schnee's goodwill from its name. From the man she was _ashamed_ she shared blood with. From the day she was born, Weiss had been trained and conditioned with almost no say over her own life. To see the poor as pawns and wealth as the ultimate good, so when she inherited the Schnee Dust Company she'd be little else but an arm of her father's will.

But she wasn't _going_ to inherit the company now, was she?

She stepped out onto the ledge. A ladder was built into the wall, disguised by the architecture, but it would be far too slow. With little but the case holding her weapon, she tried her best to leave the Schnee property without notice. Her glyphs allowed a safe, quiet descent from the manor wall, neatly avoiding the security shack. She was a quick sprint from the outer wall.

No. She'd only allowed her father to take her back home to Atlas because she felt a responsibility to reform the company one day. That, and the Fall of Beacon had left her so drained and weary… a change of scenery felt almost necessary. But she'd spoken out, she couldn't _stand_ it anymore. Beacon… her friends… she didn't let on, but they taught her so much, filled in the gaps where she'd excised her father's lies. And then, in a move so decisive and cold, she was stripped of her birthright. Her brother was the heir now… and as such, her father would get what he wanted. Her decision had been just as final. This place was nothing now, but a gilded cage. She mastered a skill, prior to setting out… and with the help of the only caregiver who cared, she was leaving to find her sister.

She didn't know what the future held now. Penniless, homeless… but for her freedom she would trade it all.

She ignored the cameras. They'd realize she was gone very soon anyway, so the guards were all that mattered. With a line of glyphs she went for it, zipping across the lawn to the outer wall, but could never have prepared for what she passed along the way.

In the corner of her eye a flash burst into view, and a black and blue blur slammed into the outer wall, sending brick and steel as shrapnel into the streets of Atlas with the force of a bomb. In the same moment, a strobe of pink engulfed the sky to the southeast. She slid to as sudden a stop as she could manage on the expansive lawn. Before her, his teeth grinding, a man with a huge teardrop of black hair in blue spandex with some kind of white chest piece stood frozen. His foot was extended where the thirty-foot section of wall had once been, and he lowered it to glance around in fury.

"What?" his gravel-pit of a voice belched, before their eyes met.

And then the property alarm sounded off, the shouts of guards in the distance.

Her case burst open, clattering to the floor as she retrieved Myrtenaster, her dust rapier.

"Who _are_ you? W-what do you want?" she asked, glancing around nervously.

"That's hardly your concern, girl. Point your toothpick at something else, unless you want to piss me off!"

"You're… not here for me? You're not with the White Fa—?"

The man scowled. "I couldn't care less who you are! Tell me where I've wound up or get lost!"

She gathered her case, weapon lowering but ready at an instant as she slowly walked around him. " _You_ just broke into the Schnee Family property, in Atlas, and you're about to be in _real_ trouble if you stick around!"

She used the newly made hole in the perimeter wall and sprinted off again as the man scoffed, standing with his arms crossed. It was a near thing, but she made it the last hundred yards around an alley corner in the nearby commercial center, in time to mask with the other citizens fleeing what they _probably_ expected to be a White Fang terrorist attack like she did.

She couldn't tarry, she had somewhere to be. Atlas was closing its borders, soon… and Atlesian bystanders weren't going to watch what was happening from very close by.

But… she couldn't help wondering what the intense mystery man's deal was. He didn't know where he _was?_ Had he dropped out of the sky?!

She stuck to the shadows, watching as Atlesian Knights, weaponized machine guards filed in to surround him. Human guards took cover further out, letting the machines take point as they prepared shots.

"On your knees!" cried a familiar voice from the machines. "You are charged with trespassing, criminal mischief, and destruction of private property! I said _on your goddamn knees!"_

In a moment, one of the Knights projected a holographic display of General Ironwood, the very man meeting with her father inside the mansion. Tall, dark haired and stone-faced, the image of the man in his white uniform towered over the ruffian near to Weiss' height. A keen eye might have made him out, watching the scene from one of the windows.

"I refuse! Fire your little blasters then, see how far it gets you against the Prince of Saiyans!"

Weiss —and probably a lot of people in earshot— mouthed the unfamiliar word, 'Saiyan' in silence and confusion.

"What is this, suicide by cop?" Ironwood wondered aloud. "I'm not kidding, let's see those hands!"

The armored barbarian stood there, unflinchingly calm. He even laughed. "You're all quite fortunate, you've found me in a decent mood… I just escaped a horror you cannon-fodder could scarcely dre—" But then his head tilted southeast, and he let his mouth and eyes hang open like he'd seen the most ominous specter.

"Comply, or we take this someplace you'll regret!" the General insisted.

The Saiyan Prince ignored him, his breath calming, even as his teeth clenched. _"N-no…!_ He's here too?!"

Ironwood's image turned. "Set stunners, this guy's out of his mind."

"Hey!" the Prince shouted, finally snapping around and barely getting Ironwood's attention. "Didn't you want to see my hands?!"

Ironwood stared but a second, before he took a short breath to give the order. It was already too late, as the Saiyan lifted his gloved hands out to the sky above as he bellowed. It was a split second's confusion everywhere, before an entire hundred-yards out from the man was taken by a devastating concussive force.

Weiss was nearly blown off her feet at the concussion of this human explosion. A thousand questions bottlenecked her brain as she watched the rest of the compound wall twist and fall, pinning a few human guards using it for cover. The windows of the manor blasted in, and a few walls collapsed to reveal the lavish interior. The Atlesian Knights were all thrown out as shrapnel, and quickly became the largest threat to passerby as people trampled each other in terror. Gunshots followed as soon as the enforcers recovered and took aim at the exploded man.

Weiss too took off down the backstreets. Forget closing borders, there was certain to be a fully-fledged _lockdown_ after this incident. If she didn't leave now, she wasn't going to.

' _*CLANG*'_

She stumbled to a halt as a huge steel foot crossed before her, and she stared up to behold one of a number of new-model Atlesian Paladins, galloping ahead at surprising speed for their heft.

Weiss felt a chill as they passed by, a car slamming into one's leg as the driver fled in panic. The Paladins were Atlas Military tech, and on their side… but she'd spent too many encounters fighting a number turned to the dark side. In light of Beacon Academy, she was surprised Atlas was still using defenses that could be turned against them, but the draw of disposable soldiers and no human risk was evidently too enticing.

Admittedly, it would have been far worse if the prince had been closely surrounded by _human_ targets…

She shook herself and pressed onward. She needed to be in the lower commercial docks built into the cliff… Freighter 003.

Klein had arranged it in advance with his own savings. She didn't have a Lien to her name now. She wanted to merely stow away on a larger freighter, but Klein wouldn't hear of it. Security had enhanced greatly, and the penalties in Atlas for such a thing would be severe. Even minor docks like the public ones she was headed for were in doubt, so honestly this event might let her slip away easier if she played her cards right.

This part of Atlas was host to smaller strips of stores and minor businesses, and honestly reminded her of Vale. It was different from the imposing marble and granite of the west district, where lay Atlas Academy and the glassy spires of more modern buildings.

But as she glanced, she noticed the main road running adjacent to hers was becoming the source of booming sounds of combat, terrifyingly muffled by the buildings she passed between her and the thoroughfare. As she passed alleys allowing her view, the noises grew louder of thumping metallic feet. She heard that same gruff voice cry out before the streets lit up, and she shrieked, shielding herself as smoke blasted from the alleys behind her.

She passed another alley to see a car glance the corner of a building as it toppled end-over-end, sparks spitting as a glass awning overtop a cafe was reduced to diced shards. Another alley and she stopped dead. The man, this 'prince of seance' or whatever he was, stood perfectly still in the middle of the road.

How?! She was using her top speed —admittedly while trying for a low profile— and this juggernaut was standing there with his guard down like he was waiting for the train!

Impassive, he turned his head as she caught his eye, and she froze. He didn't break eye contact, even as a Paladin sprinted up to slam him with its fist. Still not looking, he swung his arm and wrenched the huge mech's limb off at the shoulder, a backswing of the same arm sweeping its legs and causing it to topple face first. The cockpit opened up, and a woozy Atlesian soldier scrambled out.

The prince finally turned back to the helpless pilot, grabbing him by the back of his collar and looked to be preparing a strike. Weiss nearly shouted for him to stop when an air raid siren echoed through the streets. A male voice began speaking.

" _Grimm inbound… Concentration: Intensity Five. Please remain indoors… Grimm inbound…"_

Weiss watched the man drop his victim, crossing his arms and listening to the message, as if to decipher its meaning. But she moved on as she had more pressing worries.

Wendigo Grimm tended to climb the cliffs, but Atlas had long perfected countermeasures for that. Which among Solitas native Grimm left only—

And there they were, a small cloud of the Grimm billowing up from the sea cliffs, drawn like moths to the flame of fear. Skin black as night and heads helmeted in thick bone, they soared on batlike wings, as big as a station wagon. Twin talons hung below lizard bodies, eyeless faces only facilitating mouths of predatory teeth, in a blocky head half the size of their bodies.

 _Wyverns._

Boiling over the walls, city turrets fired flak cannons, like buckshot into a flock of ducks. Still louder, distant blasts hailed the slow approach of Atlesian Naval Gunships.

Weiss Schnee had to process the situation. A level five Grimm horde was _nothing_ compared to the fixed kingdom defenses. That was the point of the one-through-ten scale in the first place, which rated Grimm waves in terms of a kingdom's first line of defense. Anything approaching a nine or ten rating put the defenses in doubt, necessitating fallbacks, Huntsmen teams, and greater military involvement. That meant the shots from the Gunships were incidental. They were coming for _him._

 _Whole airships, to counter ONE man?!_

Her musing had only been a moment, but it was enough to forget that a handful of those hellbirds almost always got in. Through sheer luck, one wyvern got between turrets and below their line of sight. Their high-pitched shriek gave them another similarity with bats, echolocation being their primary sense besides the innate Grimm fear sense.

The thing barreled down at her, and she knew what was coming. Myrtenaster's revolver chattered as it spun to the fire chamber, just in time to match the wyvern as it swooped down.

They never killed on the first pass, and so they never got terribly close. And indeed, its mouth tried to engulf her in a stream of ice, but she swiped her blade in an arc to cast a flaming wave. It passed over her, leaving her movements free from its attempted encasement, but it hadn't been perfect. She struggled to keep balance as her feet stung from the cold, glued to the street.

A shriek signified the real danger. A wyvern's death charge, to finish their victims on the second pass, usually while they were frozen. She could probably kill it with its own momentum, but she'd certainly get ragdolled by the force. No choice. She kneeled away from it, the end of her weapon spearing the ground. A great glowing glyph bloomed from the point, spinning through phases until it was as wide as the street.

The charging wyvern screeched as it neared, only to be silenced as it impaled itself face-first upon a huge, glowing white greatsword. Weiss smiled as the Grimm was left dead, spitted upon the huge blade, two-handed by a twelve-foot tall knight in literal shining armor.

Already the summoning trait of her semblance had come in handy. With such raw strength on hand, she felt nearly unstoppable…

It was nothing to reach the docks from here. She even dilated time for herself to cross the remaining distance faster, through an alley and back onto the main road. She didn't dare look back. Marble steps led to a grand archway, and a largely deserted station. To her right would be the hangar for her freighter, somewhere down the gunmetal hall.

"We just keep running into each other," a voice rasped from behind.

She let her weapon clatter against the steps and slowly turned. Of course she knew who it was already. He stood at the bottom steps, smirking cooly. The Saiyan Prince, who glanced at her weapon. "Heh… smart. Smarter than the rest of them, anyway."

She nodded, finally getting a good look at what had become of the main road between Schnee Manor and the docks they stood before.

It was transformed. Storefronts were mangled. Soldiers lay —hopefully— unconscious and strewn over the road. A crater in the floor was tossing the remains of a crushed Paladin in a broil of water from a burst main that was quickly becoming a sinkhole. Not a single vehicle in sight remained undamaged. The hazard lights of a luxury coup flickered from the third story window of a posh inn as its car alarm blared its displeasure. A streetlight was bent in at a seventy-degree angle. An emergency alert hologram of Ironwood shifted between clarity and static, its head cut off from view by the tire of a bus flipped onto its side.

"I'm assuming I have your attention, so listen closely," he said, arms crossing. "It might not even end badly for you! Just tell me which of these craft are headed offworld. Preferably somewhere deep in Galactic Patrol territory."

Weiss somehow felt a swoon of unreality even stronger than the last few minutes. "Off… I'm sorry, off _where?_ Galactic…? I-Is that a music group I've never…?"

He betrayed a growl, steadily climbing the steps. "Come now, don't make me take back that thing I said about you being smart _already_. _Your_ ship, where is _it_ headed?!"

"Mistral," she answered.

"And that planet is…?"

"It's not a _planet_! It's not even a continent, it's a kingdom!"

His advance stopped. "Wait a second… this is Earth, right? The _planet,_ so we're clear?!"

"What?! No! This is Remnant!"

His teeth began to bare. "But you're clearly _human!"_

"So are you!" Weiss shouted back, and instantly regretted it as his eyes popped wide.

"H-how… _dare you…! Compare ME to—"_

Both of them were cut off as a hiss sounded behind her. She whirled to see a circle-cut of tile in the floor rising, and as if by pneumatic tube a figure clad in white rose with it from a booth of steel and glass.

Weiss registered shock, stepping back from the figure of horror, his blue eyes piercing and mustache twitching. Incredibly to the Saiyan, who watched with bemusement, she stepped away from the harmless suited man and closer to the one that just decimated several city blocks. It was only her sudden action that got the exceedingly tall man's attention, before his strange elevator opened up.

" _Weiss…"_ he began, his tone venomous.

"F...father…"

"I don't believe I told you, nor _anyone_ but the architect about this route to our private hanga—"

Jacques Schnee couldn't ignore the annoyed golem standing behind her, watching him with a cold stare. "What's with him?" Jacques wondered in mild amusement. "Do you mind? This is a private conversation…"

The Prince narrowed his eyes, hand quietly extending…

Weiss silently retrieved Myrtenaster and began backing away. A nervous misstep caused her to stumble loudly on the tile.

"Weiss… do you…?" he said, turning to stalk towards her. "Did you _hire_ this man to break you out? Where would you even go…?"

The warrior could snuff him out at any second… but something about his voice sent chills down his spine somehow. That was at _least_ intriguing, but he focused power all the same. This worm would address _him_ so dismissively?

"I-I told you," Weiss said, "I'm leaving… and you're not going to stop me!"

With her next move, the Saiyan stopped, lowering his hand. Admittedly, gutted by his own daughter would work too…

She raised Myrtenaster. His eyes widened, but not in fear… "How _dare_ you raise that thing to me? The man who ensured you wanted for nothing?! Even the man who paid the finest swordsmiths in Atlas to design and craft that _barbaric_ cudgel for your stupid dream."

Weiss couldn't help it, her blade lowered as she retreated. Her father was the figure and inspiration for more nightmares than any Grimm or White Fang member could possibly instill.

"When this is over, I'm having it _destroyed_. This Huntress fantasy is over. I've fought and suffered and sacrificed to elevate the name of this family, and it's high time you started contributing too, one way or another."

Suddenly, something forgotten stepped its way into her vision. A bright, warm talisman behind him that reminded her of her own courage. The Prince, meanwhile, beheld the conversation with a detached sense of entertainment, especially given the thing that just entered the room.

She took a breath, and then a sharp step forward. "I've been fighting and sweating and bettering myself with _no_ purpose but to restore honor to _MY_ family name. To fix the damage _YOU_ did to my grandfather's legacy, and our reputation!"

Jacques laughed. "Oh, I see! You've been taken by the romance of idealism! That while we're running a business that keeps the very world spinning, we should _also_ be some damned charity!

"Oh, that's right, we already _do_ charity fundraisers, like the one you used as a platform to embarrass me and this entire family!"

Weiss sneered. "I'm not some half-interested reporter or faunus rights activist, _father._ We make _obscene_ profits, subsidized to the moon and back by the kingdoms for infrastructure services… We fundraise and push for minimal taxation in Mantle just so we can store the company assets there and barely pay taxes ourselves!

"I know how this company is run, because you've insisted I learn! So I know all your dirty tricks, and I know grandfather didn't need them to be enormously successful, _and_ respected!"

Jacques's features were stone stiff for all of a few seconds, before he let out a humored breath. "Well now _your_ thoughts on the matter don't really mean anything, do they? It doesn't change anything."

"And that's why I'm leaving," Weiss said, matter of factly.

Jacques was torn between laughter and fury. "Oh, you are? I've never heard a threat so empty or a plan so short-sighted. You, always living with the very best, you're going to scrimp and scrape like a vagrant off the wage of a Huntress? Inside of a week, you'll regret every word and it will be too late…"

Weiss was done with the conversation. She turned her back on him.

He chuckled. "Not like you'd make much of a Huntress to begin with. Now let's go…"

She didn't move. "You're right. It _is_ time for you to go."

He bared his teeth as he prepared to stalk towards her, but a huge hand put itself on his shoulder. Turning he found the yet-to-be-dispelled knight looking down, firmly guiding him to his elevator. "What in the hell is _this?!"_ he demanded, struggling.

"My inability as a Huntress," she answered, still not looking.

He was stuffed back into the contraption, bewildered and furious. "If you do this, I'd better not see you again! You'll be stricken from the will, you'll get _NOTHING! You'll BE nothing!"_

She finally rounded on him, even as the glass door sealed. "Firstly… _good_. I don't want you influencing my decisions ever again. Secondly… I'll be a Schnee. And you can't take that from me.

"This is _my life…_ and you're not part of it anymore."

A whirl of her hand, and a glyph surrounded the elevator, which swiftly sank back into the floor before he could do more than yelp.

She let a few seconds pass, before she let out a breath. Weiss set Myrtenaster back in its case, closing it up as the knight dissipated. She took a few steps toward the hall when she stopped, suddenly remembering.

The prince with his spear of ragged black hair was still standing there, watching the spot her father had vanished with an odd quirk in his hard brows before looking back up at her. "Tch… You vermin and your squabbling…

"Have to say though, if you hadn't gotten rid of him, I would have. Could have done with something a bit more permanent."

"What?!" she cried, horrified. "He's awful… but I'm not going to _kill_ my father!"

"Probably just me projecting," he told her. "I never _got_ that chance."

"I thought you were looking for a ship? What are you still doing here?" Weiss asked, a little too boldly, according to the tilt of his head.

"You never answered whether your kind are capable of interstellar travel, but I'm guessing that's not the case, right?"

"What? No, of _course_ not! I…" she began, faltering, "My _father_ owns the only company that ever even got close. Sorry, _Rocketman,_ nobody's booking moon voyages today."

He smirked dangerously as she turned down the hall. "You've got a lot of mouth for such a small thing."

" _We_ are the same size, so what does that say about you?!" she retorted, quickening her pace as he laughed.

She glanced up at the boards for ship ID numbers as she passed their doors.

 _Schneeanic 815… NCC-1701-D… 003! Yes!_

She stopped dead, rounding on him and standing her ground. "I've told you what you want, what are you still following me for?!" she demanded, as he came to a stop feet from her.

"Honestly, I'm trying to decide that myself," he said, face contemplative.

Her mind went to the very worst, of course. "If _that's_ what you're after, better than you have tried winning me over! I'm seventeen anyway, so hands to yourself, or I'll…!"

The darkest look of confusion crossed his face before he gave a burst of mad laughter. "Don't flatter yourself _too_ much, girl, but rest assured if I wanted that, neither of us would still be _standing_ right now.

"This Mistral, what direction is it?"

Weiss snapped herself out of the haunting vision he conjured in her. "Well… _South_ , like most everything from Atlas."

"South…" he muttered, glancing in the same direction as he grit his teeth. "Very well. Might even get the drop on the bastard…"

"What?" she asked.

"I'm coming with you unless you think you can stop me," he told her. "Beyond that, I wouldn't worry, though stuck on a pre-space world I might need some filling in at some point."

Weiss inwardly flinched. In spite of what he said, she wasn't thrilled with his presence. As if she could likely do anything about it. "The pilot is only expecting one person."

"You let _me_ worry about that," he said, his eyes alight.

"Ooooof course…" she sighed.

The door opened and she found it, a modest unassuming tan freighter. It probably had the capacity to help someone move house, if a well-furnished house, but apart from that it was wholly unimpressive.

The pilot, and only crew member, looked to have been checking his manifest at one point. But now, he stared at the ceiling, his response to their entrance twitchy. He stared hesitantly. "You lose your way, 'snowflake?' "

Weiss smiled, Klein's little nickname serving a masked farewell. "Well, I _am_ wont to drift," she replied as Klein had asked her to memorize.

The pilot nodded curtly. "Okay, secret handshake is done. I don't know what's going on outside, but I'm keen to get going before the next murder of wyverns rears up. Who's your friend?"

Weiss blinked. There might yet be a way through without threatening people… "Bodyguard," she answered. "I hope you understand."

The pilot nodded, finishing his pre flight checks as he circled the craft. "Yeah, sure. Listen, I remember only being hired for one passenger, but the sum was pretty good and I'm in a hurry, so call it square. Just don't pull anything like that in Mistral, not as polite.

"You keep quiet at inspection stations and behind my freight. You keep your hands to yourself in _regard_ to my freight. You do not _ask_ about my freight. And if you're caught, you stowed away, we don't know each other."

"We _don't_ know each other…" Weiss pointed out.

He pointed at her. "Good answer. Hop in, we're rolling."

Indeed, no sooner did they step in, than the bay doors sealed and she felt them lift off into the clear blue sky. The light and shadows drifted inside as its course aligned, and Weiss Schnee finally let out a sigh.

The Prince sat down against the bulkhead, settling in. "I'm knocking out. Didn't finish my rest prior to this in the first place."

"Do what you want," she said. "You clearly don't need my permission anyway."

"Hmm," he grunted, closing his eyes.

She found a spot against some boxes and tried to get comfortable. At minimum she wanted to keep out of sight. She didn't plan on sleeping with him around, but it might happen regardless. Still…

"So what do I call you?" she asked. "Besides 'Prince'..."

He was silent a moment. She wondered if he wasn't already asle—

"Vegeta," he said suddenly, before smirking. _"Prince_ Vegeta."

She nodded, rolling the moniker around in her thoughts. "Mmm… Well, my name is—"

" _Weiss Schnee._ I know, I'm not _deaf,_ girl. Now let me rest."

Weiss went still as he snapped, but her expression softened. _So he was paying attention?_

She let out a puff of a breath. "Right."

The engine whined and the airship clattered as it climbed. No going back now...

* * *

The staredown continued on both sides as the young boy that _demolished_ an Arch-Grimm approached them with concern.

"Uh… hi!" Ruby offered warmly, a trill of uncertainty in her voice. "Um… thanks for helping us with that Grimm…"

"Grimm?" the boy asked quietly.

"Yeah…" Jaune drawled. "How… did you do that again?"

The child stared blankly. "I punched it."

"Uhhhhh… yeeeah! We saw." Nora added, before doing a double-take as Ren had slipped away to stare down at the spot where the Grimm had been felled, a black plume still rising high.

She raced to his side, watching him with concern. Ruby saw the boy tracking them as well, clearing her throat and kneeling to his level. "Uh, so hey…! My name is Ruby," she told him, offering her hand.

He smiled brightly, thrusting his hand over hers in a slap that left her arm numb… and she was used to tanking the recoil of a high caliber rifle. "My name's Gohan!" he said, shaking her hand with enthusiasm. "Um… would you know where we are? This doesn't look like Namek."

Ruby faintly giggled. "Um, yeah, sure ain't…" She turned to Jaune, whispering. _"It's not, right?"_

Jaune shrugged. "I've never heard of it. This is Kuroyuri, outside the city of Mistral."

"Oh," Gohan said, beginning to stare around into the distance.

Jaune took this opportunity to whisper rather loudly, _"Do you think he might be one of these 'Maidens?' "_

From the short distance, Ren's voice just reached them. "Maiden… _Maiden_ , Jaune… Think about what you're saying."

Jaune grunted, looking foolish as Ruby tried to hide a laugh.

Nora put an arm around Ren's waist. "You… okay?"

He nodded, closing his eyes. " _More_ than okay. This village, Shion Village… my…"

He didn't finish, Nora gripping him tightly. Finally he found the words again. "What's important is they've all been avenged."

"I can't sense them!"

All of them turned as Gohan's eyes grew wide. Each looked to each other for an answer.

"My Dad, Krillin, Dende! I don't even sense Vegeta! But there are so many powers here…" A look of worry crossed him. "This… this isn't Earth either, is it?"

Nora approached, a little faster than Ren. "Kiddo, I… uh… we got nothin'. You're giving us nothin' here."

Ruby glanced over. "Ren, do you know what he's talking about?"

He shook his head. "I can't be certain. Sensing… it might be his semblance?"

"Gohan, are you alone out here?" Ruby asked, softspoken as she could manage. "How old are you, buddy?"

Gohan sat down. "Well, I was with my friends, and my Dad, but then Dende made a wish… I think it's okay though, Dende wouldn't wish for anything bad…" He was quiet a moment as they waited, before he sat up suddenly. "Oh, sorry! I'm… fi- yeah, five…!"

Team RNJR as a whole recoiled. Gohan looked small, certainly… but he was unbelievably strong!

Jaune had a sheepish expression as he gave a slow laugh. "I'm sorry, you sure you meant _five_ , and not like… _thirty-_ five with an advanced kidney condition, and like… rapid-onset _immortality?"_

Gohan chuckled and shook his head. "Nope! Just five."

Nora frowned. "You kill your mom on the way out? Cause if _that's_ your punch, I'd hate to know what your kick is like…"

"Wha—?!" he cried, alarmed. "No, my Mom is fine… my Dad died for a while, but—"

"For… a while?" Ren asked.

"Yeah, he came back after I trained for a year with Mister Piccolo."

"Mister Piccol—?" Jaune began, before Ruby elbowed him in the ribs.

"Guys, this is… confusing, but not important right now," Ruby said, giving the kid a wink. "Let's not crowd the little tyke."

Gohan found his cheeks growing warm as he smiled back. Between the past year and the company he kept lately, it was a strange comfort to be dealt with so gently, like his mother did.

Ren nodded. "So… where did you last see your friends, Gohan?"

"It was just before I ran into you guys! They were fighting…" But Gohan went stiff. Eyes wide, he began glancing stoically around once more.

"Guys…" Ruby whispered, motioning for a huddle. They complied, bringing it in close. "We can't leave him here right? We all agree?"

Jaune nodded. "Of course not, he's _five!_ He's all alone without his parents, someone needs to take care of him at least as far as Mistral."

Nora blew a raspberry. "You don't think the kid can take care of himself?"

Ruby sighed. "By five, the worst I dealt with was… Okay, I'm a bad example, but besides… _Mom…_ let's say 'bedwetting'..."

Ren grimaced at her as she flushed, breaking eye contact. "Okay, so those might be related, I dunno… but there's something else. Guys, when I first laid eyes on him… he wasn't _there_ the second before!"

" _What?"_ Jaune exclaimed.

"What do ya' mean?" Nora asked. "He just popped into existence like _that?"_

"Ruby, he was probably talking about… the _Grimm,"_ Ren suggested reasonably.

"Well…" Nora intoned, frowning with concentration. "But Ren, we ran as fast as we could and _barely_ beat it here! It never fought _anything_ on the way, we'd have known!"

"So the boy just _appeared_ miles from the nearest town, in a village that's been dead for a decade?"

"It wouldn't be any weirder than the other stuff we've learned lately!" Ruby said with rough conviction.

"Oh _NO!"_ Gohan cried, stepping back as he stared fixedly east.

" _What?!"_ the four of them shouted, reaching for their weapons.

"H-h-he… He's here…!" Gohan said, shivering.

Jaune looked around wildly. "Who?!"

" _Frieza…"_ he whispered, the name drawing a chill from them. "He got dragged to this planet too…"

Nora's head leaned curiously inward as she chuckled. "Uh sorry… _planet?"_

"OH MY GOSH!" Ruby shouted, startling even Gohan. "WE FORGOT ABOUT UNCLE QROW!"

She ran off in a burst of petals, leaving Gohan confused, but as the others motioned him to follow they all heard something.

"Hey, check it out!" Nora shouted as the sound of alarms grew louder, and distant shapes appeared in the sky.

"Those are Mistral airships!" Ren shouted, waving to the sky.

"We _did it!"_ Jaune added.

Gohan watched as the strange wooden vehicles ventured closer, his new friends doing all they could to flag them down.

But he kept one eye on the east...

* * *

 _Anoleis Sagrei._

Blake Belladonna drifted through the crowds of the Kuo Kuana marketplace. She was accustomed to the shadows, but even in plain sight she managed subtlety.

If only the same could be said for their new friend, currently purchasing a switchblade, blotches of brown scales reflecting the harsh tropical sunlight.

Her —at first unwelcome— partner, the impulsive and excitable Sun Wukong silently approached on her side, all business… which was both impressive _and_ strange. He was taking his recent injury by her old friend Ilia Amitola a bit personally, it seemed. It was always surreal since she started her Huntress training at Beacon, hunting her old White Fang affiliates, the faunus rights group she once championed and whose cause she fought for.

Faunus, simply speaking, were human. They could mix blood, there was nothing truly different about them from a fundamental level, save their extra-beastly features. For Blake, atop her head were an extra pair of feline ears. Sprouting low, Sun was possessed of a blonde tail to match his hair, prehensile to the irritation of some.

For something so simple, bog-standard humans made the lives of faunus the world over hell. It seemed that for how primitive or feral _they_ were called, humanity as a whole held to primal instincts of otherising the different. Blake had seen both sides of it. She had once been a radical like the ones she now fought, but she held a more nuanced view now. She'd met too many humans that were indifferent or entirely supportive of faunus equality, and so many places were stripped of any law that called for anything less.

Likewise, not every faunus was a White Fang member, or bound to become one. And though she had her doubts, she wasn't certain the _entire_ White Fang was complicit in participation of the kind of targeted anti-human warfare exhibited at the Fall of Beacon.

Exhibited by Adam Taurus, among many others…

No. Tribalism, collective punishment… it was wrong when humans did it, and it was wrong when faunus did it back. For or against was short-sighted, and it was always good to remember that the sins of the father did not belong to their children. One of her best friends had taught her that lesson… or, had at least affirmed it beyond doubt.

The Fall of Beacon had cost them all so much, and Blake felt responsible for one very specific loss.

She'd come here to atone, to her old home and family, to draw the black marks of her past sins away from the people she cared about… even if they wanted to share that burden. Sun had followed her, made her see reason in spite of her fears. Now, that her past had found her and was threatening another Fall of Beacon elsewhere, she was glad to have him around.

She was done running.

The scroll Sun had been injured to obtain confirmed the identity of its owner's associate. Anoleis was not a fighter, but a messenger that ran between Menagerie and the White Fang headquarters. A scrambled role, now that all but local digital communication was severed across the planet. Knowing what was soon set to occur there, and Blake never ranking high enough to have been given its location, Anoleis Sagrei might be their ticket in.

They worked their way silently through the crowd as he paid for the blade, barely a boxcutter. The shopkeeper noticed them, making solid eye-contact as Blake readied Gambol Shroud as casually as she could.

When she signed up for Beacon Academy and underwent the various non-skill-based tests and assessments of her health, her weapon was also judged. The people in charge of this —among them, the curiously perky and seldom present Professor Peach— finally classified it a _'Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe'_. To this day she wasn't sure she understood what that meant. There was hardly one manner in which the weapon, with its thick sheath a cleaver in itself, a katana with a back folding hinge, enabling use of its handle which was _itself_ a compact and automatic machine pistol… could accommodate the word 'scythe'. Or 'chain' for that matter.

Her friend and team leader Ruby… now _that_ was a scythe. And many people regarded the weapon nearly larger than its wielder to be preposterously complicated. But Crescent Rose did three things, arguably. It shot from long range, it cut things, and then it cut things in a more 'piercing weapon' style when Ruby felt sassy.

Gambol Shroud was the oddball, but got a pass because it was so incredibly versatile, and she utilized its every function. And people respected it when it menaced them by its mere presence. Anoleis turned at seeing the shopkeeper's response, recognizing her instantly. Ilia must have tipped him off that this was possible. His teeth bared as he reached. He'd been carrying openly, pistol on his hip, so she was prepared by the time he squeezed off two shots. One glanced off Shroud's cleaver, the other sailing off out of sight.

The coward would shoot into a crowd just to tag her?! She didn't know why, but she thought cornering him in the open like this might _prevent_ things from escalating. She knew he'd run, but…

Blake and Sun wordlessly gave him a longer leash, partly so he'd resist the urge to fire in the marketplace, and partly in the hopes he'd hang himself with the slack. By the same token, they couldn't lose him either. Reaching a corner, he whirled and once more fired twice, the rounds pelting the sand. He glanced at his weapon in frustration. _He was empty._ Wasn't it a six-shooter? This was why clips were generally better than revolvers…

Anoleis tore thankfully away from the crowds, passing a cart being hauled by a stopped auto, its owner tinkering away from under the engine.

He stopped between the vehicle and its burden, cartwheeling between them and using the action to launch into an alley. She hesitated once she saw what he'd done. The cart was detached and slowly rolling towards them. It was an amateur diversion, and it would never hit its mark. They could as easily sidestep it before it got near. All it served to do was endanger other faunus that were in its path, the people whose lives _ought_ to hold value, even to an extremist White Fang member.

Her train of thought broke with Sun's feet landing on her shoulders as he vaulted forward, hands steepled as if in prayer as his semblance engaged, two glowing gold clones racing forward to shove the cart back.

"Go!" Sun cried, running forward himself to pin down the cart as she realized she _had_ indeed been standing there watching.

 _This_ probably spawned the 'chain scythe' moniker, as Gambol Shroud's katana hinged back into kusarigama mode, ribbon wrapped around the trigger as she tossed it in an arc. The blade tip embedded in the cart's crates, and she pulled the elastic material taut as she leapt to run along the left wall. At the end of her arc she leapt forward, using her momentum to propel herself into the alley as she yanked the kusarigama free.

It was over.

The momentum of the kusarigama zipped past her, aimed at Sagrei's legs, one of which she caught. He tripped with ease, and she yanked the ribbon to drag him back when a flash of steel snipped it, and she fell on her back. Blake leapt back to her feet. The ribbon shouldn't have just broke, its material wasn't so weak as that.

She caught black boots landing between her and their quarry, and stared up into a familiar masked face.

 _Ilia._

They had gone for Anoleis specifically to avoid this confrontation… The chameleon faunus, brown hair curled into a long tail, removed her mask to reveal her bright blue eyes.

Ilia Amitola was an unusual faunus. Her skin could change color to match her mood. It was too bright and obvious to serve as camouflage, but her true mask was the very normal skin tone she generally wore. She could easily pass for human. Blake once wore a bow to hide her ears, but Ilia didn't even have to go that far.

Ilia aimed her weapon, a dust-loading, telescoping steel whip. Blake scowled. Half of her weapon was out of reach, all she had was the cleaver. After all their history, was Ilia really just going to—?

Ilia recoiled from her stare, adjusting her aim skyward. With a flick of the weapon, a hanging bundle of crates crashed down in front of them. Blake knew the pair were gone before the splinters had even settled…

She glimpsed movement on the rooftop as Sun finally caught up.

"What happened?!" he demanded, glancing around wildly.

"He got away," Blake answered lamely, walking back down the alley. "I'm sorry…"

She felt a sick pit in her stomach. It wasn't unfeasible to catch up to them, maybe even overpower them… but none of it was appealing. She worried Sun would compromise himself fatally once he saw Ilia… or even that they might succeed.

Ilia had been her friend in another life. She had the drop on Blake back there. If she'd wanted to hurt Blake, it would have been a golden opportunity. For that, Blake would look the other way. If they caught Ilia, it would mean nothing good for her. Honestly, it was better their paths simply didn't cross. They turned out from the alley and strolled up the road as she sifted through the scroll contacts.

"So, what now?" Sun asked, arms behind his head as he walked. "Any other options?"

Blake sighed. "It's… _really_ not looking like it. The position only really existed after the CCT went down, and everything I'm seeing suggests Sagrei was her direct contact with Lower Shambhala."

"Well we _know_ where it is now. All this was only to buy us breathing room anyway!" Sun declared, throwing up his hands.

Blake rolled her eyes before snapping, " _Sun!_ That 'breathing room' is to get us through the Cape London Bay without blowing the operation! We get caught in the White Fang High Leader's turf and we're dead!"

"Oh come on!" Sun said enthusiastically, spinning to face her as he walked backwards. "You're _great_ at the whole cloak-n'-cleaver-sword thing!"

" _Dagger."_

"That too!" he praised, pointing her way before casually hauling himself up to sit on a business signpost. "So your dad spills the beans on Aiden…"

" _Adam."_

"Yeah, him! And then we sneak in, rescue Sienna Khan, and _BOOM!"_ Sun concluded, legs catching the signpost as he fell backwards to leave him hanging upside down. _"_ Viva la Revolution! Nobody's siding with the White Fang if it's taken by force, right?"

Blake sighed again, marching forward away from the beaches. "You make it sound so _simple_ , but it's not. There's only one entrance to it, _and it's built into the side of the cliff at the water line!_

"Low tide, it's accessible, high tide it's underwater and _sealed. Saving_ Sienna is hugely optimistic, even getting footage is a fat 'maybe'! Then we have to ensure whatever happens, that the proof gets outside Menagerie."

She found a window with a massive A/C unit dominating it and pulled herself up to sit on its edge, looking out forlornly at the craggy mountains before the Shard Sands, the desert that served as Menagerie's most expansive feature.

"And even then… I'm worried. I was actually _really_ glad to find out the Albains weren't totally wrong. Adam's way of thinking hasn't penetrated the entire White Fang yet. The ones that haven't forgotten their principles may escape right into our arms."

Sun climbed down, staring up at her. "But…?"

She frowned. "But for Adam's plan to work, he needs the sympathy and cooperation of _most_ of Lower Shambhala's high guard. I'm worried his sentiment runs deeper in the Fang than we think, if he's going to be so bold…

"We need more than just us to take this on…"

Sun brushed it off with a shrug. "Hey, you never know what's on the horizon."

Blake hummed in acknowledgement, still staring out.

Come to think… something _was_ on the horizon. Between two peaks, a small sand storm was forming. "Sun, you see that…?"

"See what?"

* * *

First the deep sea crabs… now _land_ crabs?

" _Why does nature hate me?!"_

The blue haired woman ran pell mell down the dunes to the blessed tropical civilization before her. In pursuit, a half-dozen massive skittering creatures hissed and clicked as they kept stride, mouths frothing with sandy foam.

A quarter mile away, the raven haired faunus beheld the scene, as her begrudged blonde companion smiled with understanding. "Oh, so _that's_ the crazy wildlife sticking people to the city."

"She's just a human," she remarked with befuddlement, "what is she doing out in no-man's-land… in the middle of an _actual_ land with no humans?"

"Man, _this_ , the sky flashing earlier… been a weird day."

" _I WILL BOIL YOU IN TARTAR SAUCE!"_

The monkey-tailed teen got to his feet. "Now _that_ sounds like a party! You coming?"

The cat-girl grabbed her sheath and blade. "In my experience, they actually taste better plain…"

The pair ran out, vaulting over small buildings to intercept the woman, crossing the distance handily. But no sooner did they stand before her than she managed a perfect ninety-degree turn to avoid them. She hadn't even acknowledged their presence. The faunus partners glanced at each other before the huge crustaceans were on top of them, a few splitting off to follow their original target.

Blake flipped backwards, leaving a dark copy where she stood as the beast's huge pincers snapped. It squealed awfully as her kusarigama embedded between its eyestalks, and she yanked to pull herself over it to land behind it.

Another grand pull and it flipped onto its back, spearlike legs waggling uselessly before her cleaver plunged between them and into its heart.

A second reared up with a great claw far larger than the other, but she slung the cleaver into its mouth like a throwing knife, stunning it as she retrieved the kusarigama and wrapped its ribbon around its deadly weapon. It was like putting a rubber band on a lobster claw, which she proceeded to plug automatic fire into at point blank with her pistol.

Sun took out his staff and began probing for soft spots in the thick chitin, occasionally separating its components to give a blast of flintlock. Meanwhile, three beasts in pursuit, the woman in the yellow jumpsuit huddled behind some presently unserviced market stands. She reached into her jacket pocket as the creatures dug into the wooden structures, which wouldn't serve as shelter for long.

She came out with a tiny case and rifled through it, a number of labeled thin bulbs with buttons on them set into it like a regimen of pills. She pulled out a blue one, turning it to find a number four printed on it. "Huh? How'd you get mixed in here?"

A last slash took off the claw of Blake's current opponent, forcing it to retreat in agony, as Sun's toppled backwards after numerous rapid flintlock charges to the face.

Blake looked over to see the other three crabs rooting around the same general spot and gasped.

"I thought you told me these things eat geodes?!" Sun said, both running over.

"They crack open geodes for _water,_ they are _very much_ still predators!"

" _Hey! Bisque and Rangoon!"_ Sun quipped, twirling his chucks.

"There's three of them…" Blake said dryly.

He shrugged. "I don't eat crab much."

"Chowder?" she suggested.

At that moment, one of them split apart as a thick smoke obscured everything.

"...Is served?" Sun offered, just before the blue haired woman shot out of the smoke in a dark blue hover-car.

"À la _car'!"_ he finished, far too proud of himself.

" _Please_ stop…" Blake groaned.

The mobile woman, a font of rage, rounded back on the crabs in a reckless spin. Already spooked by the chaos of the car's entrance, she repeatedly slammed her bumper into the creatures as they skittered away, her rescuers left bemused as she leapt half onto its dashboard in victory.

"That's right! I fended off an entire planet; I can drive off you punk bullies!"

Sun burst out laughing, startling the woman and causing her to flail back to her seat. "Haha! _Drive_ …" Sun sighed, before realizing her fall had gunned the car in full reverse.

The hover-car bounced to a stop as it struck him, sending him flying into a pile of crates and smashing them wonderfully. He groaned as she and Blake rushed over to help.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—" She stopped in her tracks, seeing the agitated simian tail attached to her victim.

 _She managed to hit some kid with a monkey's tail with her car._

"I am having the _weirdest_ case of deja vu…"

* * *

She was utterly pale, both naturally and from fear. Her glass office, the jewel atop the tiered pyramid of Shade Academy had offered an unimpeded view of the initial carnage.

Loose blue robes aflutter in the ever-present climate control, she fumbled with her high collar. It wasn't even a bad evening for Vacuo, yet her normally pristine, neat bouffant of platinum-blonde hair was coming apart. Given it often melded so perfectly with her skin tone, it gave the impression she was actually coming undone.

She, Dahlia 'China Doll' Quadling, had stopped deploying Huntsmen relatively fast. From her vantage point and desk monitors she got the picture. Something _awful_ was running loose in Vacuo, and it was beyond any of them.

Dahlia had to wonder… was it _her?_ After Beacon, was caution thrown to the wind?

Inside her office were two teams of students, the best consultants she had regarding Beacon, but none of it was helping to elaborate on the threat.

"We're just giving up?! We're going to let this… this _thing_ come up here and have its way?"

"It's working," Dahlia said simply, leaving her quiet. "I'd be on your side if this being had since destroyed everything in its path… but they appear set in their purpose. It might be more pressing if the global CCT system weren't already compromised, but I won't play with lives in the name of a broken machine."

Of course, though the students looked conflicted, they didn't see her lie of omission. The tower wasn't the only thing worth protecting at Shade. But if this being wanted her so badly, she'd face them alone, the Relic be damned! The identity of the Winter Maiden was tightly kept anyway. If it wasn't safe now, then it never was. If Ozpin disagreed with that, then to hell with him.

Her cousin Glynda had been fortunate to get out of that mess unscathed. She'd not put her own people in harm's way, not for something that needed no further protection. Leonardo had said the same thing. "You students, I wanted to be sure this wasn't familiar to you that experienced it."

Dew Gayl stalked to the window overlooking the city. "We're meant to _stop_ things like this! Powerless _again_?! What _good_ are we?!"

Dahlia smiled sadly. "Dear, what you've experienced was nothing less than an historic tragedy… _nothing_ even the greatest Huntsmen truly know how to anticipate, let alone fight. Beacon was the house of champions, but fall it _did_ , even so.

"Sometimes we're simply smaller than the situation we find ourselves in… There's no shame in it. When gods move, mortals quake."

"Then what do we do?" asked the pink-eyed Nolan.

"We take _no_ action," Dahlia said. "We offer no insult. We in Vacuo do what is necessary to _survive_. At least until the right opportunity is presented to us." It was a bitter pill to swallow, and all of them reeled at the very idea.. "And if my encounter with this being goes poorly for myself… and I've no reason to expect less… I'd hope you to do all in your power to keep yourselves and your fellow students safe."

Gwen Darcy burst into tears. The sniper, May, prepared an admonishment, but a great noise shook the building beneath them. Everyone froze, dead silent.

"Do not arm yourselves," Dahlia ordered. "And stay well away from the door."

This almost seemed an unnecessary request, as both teams quietly retreated from the elevator they arrived on. The elevator that had not been called since their arrival. They all flinched at a sudden impact just beneath the floor, and a screech of steel just above.

Silence came again, but for a clattering of debris on the glass walls and roof, before they all cried out from something impacting the far wall. On further inspection, as the glass corner imploded, a great steel block with a door in it embedded itself in the floor.

The _elevator_ had been blown through the shaft ceiling and into the sky…

The group all stared between each other, before finally glancing at the fixed door… upon which there was a polite knock from inside the shaft. Dahlia hesitated. "Come in…"

With no obvious cause, the steel doors whined as they folded outward rather than sliding. Lit bit by bit as he entered, Lord Frieza entered the room, arms behind his back as he stepped down. The students eyed him with confusion for his stature… and caution for his ability and pitiless smile. "My, such a warm reception!" he offered at last. "I don't suppose I was wrong, and that the name of Lord Frieza _yet_ carries weight on this side of the Universe?"

Dahlia smiled politely. "I'm afraid we haven't had the pleasure, to my knowledge anyway. Am I bold to assume I am presently speaking with 'Lord Frieza?' "

"A trifle perhaps, but you would be correct," he answered with a tip of his horned head. "And I might presume you to be the famous Dahlia?"

Her jaw tightened. "I am the one you seek. How can we at Shade Academy help you?"

Frieza strode through the room, approaching her desk. "Well, originally I was hoping to charter a course for the nearest hub world, but it seems your kind haven't the sophistication, nor the aptitude to master interstellar travel… so a reference of your most current cosmological model will do for a start."

There was a curious wave of movement through the Shade group, like an inaudible gasp, played off so as not to draw attention. Dahlia had prepared herself for a lot of things. That wasn't one of them. "I… see."

Frieza chuckled openly. "Don't tell me my appearance escaped you! Don't be daft, I'm _clearly_ not a local…"

"Yes," Dahlia agreed. "Well, as the region's foremost institution, we of course keep such records. I trust that—"

Suddenly sounds of exertion echoed through the elevator shaft, drawing even the attention of Frieza. "My minion, am I to take it your formative years were spent in some barn? Do keep up, and do it _quietly!"_

Finally, a dagger swooped from below and slammed into the floor, allowing a sweat-drenched Cagliuso Perrault to haul himself onto it. "It will be as you say," he wheezed, "Maestro Frieza…!"

Dahlia betrayed a look of shock at seeing him. She was certain he'd been slaughtered like the others. _"Maestro,_ Cagli?" she asked, closing her eyes with a smile. "I understand. I'm just happy to see you alive."

Team NDGO and BRNZ seemed conflicted on this matter, but as far as Dahlia was concerned, what choice did he have? Perhaps Jim Ironwood set such stock in loyalty that he expected it in the face of certain death… but she was more discerning. Deserters weren't traitors. They were individuals. Vacuo _always_ championed the individual.

Frieza rolled his eyes. "On the topic of good form, I must say it's rather rude that you've not deigned to stand like your fellows, madam. One might mistake such

as a deliberate disrespect…"

"Maestro," Perrault interjected, "it is not disrespect, Professore Quadling, she—"

"Hold your tongue, or it won't be the cat that's got it," Frieza muttered darkly, as he complied.

Dahlia sighed. "What he means to say is that I'm quite incapable. Brittle bones. It's why many have taken to calling me 'China Doll.' "

Frieza frowned. "I was informed this place centered upon the art of combat, but it's headed by a fragile tart obviously past her prime? If I weren't seeing it I'd think you were taking me for a simpleton."

"The Academies exist for the purpose of safeguarding humanity's future," Dahlia explained. "Huntsmen and Huntresses are our most valuable defense, but they are capable of far more than brute force. Our training expands into any field from which humanity gains a greater foothold in our world."

She smiled. "But this is not to say I'm as defenseless as I look."

Frieza hummed, a hand reaching to his scouter. They watched him with interest as the device chattered away. It gave a final buzz. "Oh…! Seems someone wasn't bluffing! Seven- _hundred!_ Not bad at all, I suppose… were we grading on a _curve…"_ he mocked, unable to keep the chuckle out of his voice.

Every human present was left wholly nonplussed. Was it some kind of alien, long-range aura measuring device?

"Well this is all the more vexing," Frieza said, curling his lower lip. "You see, the trash I dealt with earlier were somehow even _less_ impressive, and for coming from a warrior caste, it's difficult for me to make the distinction at my _own_ standard of strength, but they seemed wholly incapable of utilizing even the paltry measure of power they possessed… But for a time, I was more hopeful for the next."

He began pacing, as the sentiment within the room grew ever colder at the insult thrown so casually at the feet of the late MMGP.

"You see, it was most curious. Even after that first encounter, I was quite elated to have more challengers to relieve my tension. But after my new friend's little troop, I scarcely encountered a _thing_ on my route here. I'd dare to say posts were utterly deserted… I don't suppose you'd have had anything to do with this…?"

She closed her eyes. "You can't expect that I'd place my people in the way of harm?"

Frieza's tail tapped the floor. "Oh yes, I suppose it's not your fault I'm in such unfortunate sorts… but all the same, prior to this I was quite robbed of something invaluable. I had the culprits in my sights, but treachery had its day all the same.

"Now, I find myself possibly an infinite distance from these loathsome insects, and nary a trace to be found… _livid_ with a wrath that must be sated by nothing less than blood!"

His eyes narrowed, as he began locking eyes with the room's silent occupants. Gwen Darcy fell onto her rear when his piercing red gaze found her… after which, he _smiled_.

"Then I shall step forward!" Dahlia cried readily, even as her mind reeled from the horrific notion. The bastard was _offended_ that she'd spared people from him, just so he could treat people like punching bags, or so many sheets of bubble wrap to be popped for his own amusement…

Frieza closed his eyes, before glancing sideways at her. "Very well, I don't deny you've garnered my curiosity. But what's to prevent me from changing my mind afterward, if I'm still sporting for more?"

Dahlia didn't know how to answer that question at first… "I suppose _nothing_."

Frieza smiled more deeply. Of course… Just asserting how powerless they truly were. He would do as he liked, with or without them.

 _Ah…_

"Except that you would need to re-explain yourself to those on my staff. It will be difficult to seek help from others when they're not… present."

Frieza gave a humming laugh. "Hear that, children? Don't wander off too far now! So where shall we conduct our business then?"

"This is fine," Dahlia said, turning to BRNZ and NDGO. "Students, leave us please. This will be but a moment. Do take care."

Frieza nodded. "You as well, Perrault, unless your aim is to be flash-incinerated by mistake."

Cagliuso slipped into the shaft with nary another word. The two teams stood frozen, before their respective leaders urged them to obey. It was a sullen march, as they each approached the elevator shaft and leapt down. Dew Gayl assisted a still distraught Gwen at last, locking eyes with Dahlia before the last of them took their leave.

"You're certain this office is room enough?" Frieza asked, almost pouting at the implication. "A power level at _least_ the equal of one of my standard guard, —not so common as you'd think really— yet your kind seem utterly incapable of using it to your advantage? Damndest thing… A power level reading _should_ be indicative of _present_ power output, not a measure of some unseen _potential…_ Unless my scouter was quite damaged in my sojourn, I must say I've not encountered such a thing before…"

Dahlia remained quiet, only opening her mouth when at last she knew she could speak her most burning question. "I must admit, I might have made certain assumptions I'm yet uncertain of. If you'll indulge me… might you be the one they call 'Salem'?"

Frieza's eyebrows shot up for the first time in a while. "Why no, my dear, name doesn't ring the faintest bell… but a case of mistaken identity? I've not entertained such a thing in ages… You clearly respect my power, so such a suggestion… I may need to meet this enigmatic foe of yours."

Dahlia raised her left arm, and from her sleeve a baton leapt into her hand.

"I feel I must warn you," Frieza began, "even if you fully utilized a seven-hundred power level, you're little more than a bank note caught in a storm. For perspective, _mine_ sits at five-hundred-thirty- _thousand…_

"The last person I eliminated had a power infinitely greater than your own… and he _screamed_ before the end. If I'm _entirely_ honest, entertaining _this_ for a duel feels somewhat the farce..."

Dahlia's desk sank into the floor as her chair crept back, hovering rather than rolling as she sat cross-legged.

"Courtesy dictates I give the lady the first move… don't waste it."

Dahlia took a breath. If nothing else, she'd not make it easy. Her baton glowed gold as she focused. The floor shook a moment or two before the sky darkened. She snapped her baton to point at Frieza a split second before chaos took hold.

Wreathed in lightning, the glass walls and ceiling imploded as every object not fixed to the floor —including the elevator cabin— raced in to crush Frieza at incredible speed. The steel frames holding the glass crumpled inward, effectively turning the office they stood upon into the roof. She pressed the attack, the yellow tip of her baton revealed to be a dust cartridge as it clattered out to make way for a red tip replacing it from inside.

With a whirl, a firestorm encircled Frieza's position, as hidden cases and shelves rose from the floor at her command, only to be lit and pelted into the ball of debris that was swiftly turning molten and glowing with the heat. Finally, a green dust cartridge took its place, and she blasted it with a windstorm that could have sanded off bark.

By the end she was left with a twisted hulk of smouldering material fused into the floor, a mass of carbon and steel that hissed ruefully.

She knew it could not have been enough. Nowhere near. She lifted her hand to ready a blue cartridge when the mass exploded, hurling debris everywhere as the tyrant stepped away effortlessly. She was struck by the shrapnelized material. Her aura failed as she spilled out of her chair. She felt several bones snap painfully as she landed, none the least including her favored hand.

"Truly disappointing," Frieza told her. "But given your own handicap, I think I'll give myself a limitation in the most meager sense of fair play.

"As you favor such non-physical techniques, so shall I retaliate… ready?"

Dahlia's wrist snapped towards him as a stream of ice surged out in a torrent. Frieza merely appeared to blink, and the frigid fountain turned back on its source. Dahlia Quadling barely murmured in surprise as her own offense froze her utterly solid, dark cracks in the ice like black veins across every inch of the Shade Academy headmistress.

Vaguely satisfied, Frieza's eyes stared upward, and Dahlia levitated ten feet above the ground. With but a blink, she shattered into thousands of shards, floating in the evening air, before Frieza made a clutching gesture with his hand. At once, the shards collapsed into a single point, a squeak of compacted ice the only noise before it all compressed into relatively nothing.

"Hmm," he intoned, as the remains collapsed upon the floor like soot. It had been a time since he'd actually ground someone into dust.

He looked up to see her hover-chair was still quite functional. He couldn't deny… the broad had taste.

 _ **A/N: First thing's first... don't get used to weekly releases. I have a slight backlog, as I've been writing this story since Volume 5 started, but I am NOT that fast. I *MIGHT* put out Chapter 3 next week just because it rounds out our VERY beginnings, but after that I'm leaving myself a minimum whole finished chapter in my pocket at any given time. This is so I can look over things later with a fresh eye or perhaps adjust something I realized I needed setup for in a later chapter.**_

 _ **That out of the way, hope things are slowly taking shape for you guys! I'm sorry the Vacuo stuff with Frieza is so OC-ridden, but there's not a lot I can do about that. The only people we know from there aside from Sun —who are still there— are literally Teams NDGO and BRNZ... and they really have no character to them. The scene with Dahlia was originally much longer and featured those teams a lot more, but it became eye-glazing material, and my pre-readers only really perked up once Frieza showed up again.**_

 _ **Dahlia herself is my take on the last Lieutenant of Ozpin's, and she is a reference to the China Princess —or China girl, if you've seen "Oz the Great and Powerful"—. Given there are only so many characters in the Wizard of Oz, that was the best I could do to keep that particular theme running, not that I'm not kinda proud of her, given the short-lived unimportance of the character. And no, I couldn't have used Dorothy, because along with being Red Riding Hood, Ruby sorta already IS Dorothy. RUBY slippers... she's got 'her little dog, too'! You can argue the point, but I think Dahlia is more interesting anyway.**_

 _ **And before you power-scaling goblins throw a fit about her having the power of Saiyan Saga Vegeta, I make it VERY clear she can't use even a PORTION of that power. Remnant humans have surprisingly large power levels on average, or at least Huntsmen do... but it means nothing for them in combat.**_

 _ **Why? Well, there IS in fact an answer to that... which Chapter 3 will provide.**_

 _ **Oh, and if you wondered about Team MMGP —pronounced "Magpie"— THEY are references to other fairytale legends. Specifically Jack the Giant Killer, Thumbellina, Hansel and Gretel, and Puss In Boots. Take a wild guess on who's who there... Also yes, there is an example of Rule63 there, hehe.**_

 _ **Hmm... oh, and one last thing…**_

 _ **Fun Fact? Vegeta originally spent most of this chapter unconscious. How, you might ask? Well, he freaks out because he hears Jacques Schnee's voice, and later collapses from prolonged exposure to it. And THAT is because Jacques in RWBY is voiced by Jason Douglas... who is the American voice for Lord Beerus. So Vegeta collapsed, physiologically paralyzed with mortal fear from his childhood like in Dragonball Super.**_

 _ **Yes... I originally made a meta in-joke into a PLOT-POINT, because Weiss then took pity on Vegeta and hauled him onto the ship with her.**_

 _ **This was completely rewritten on the grounds that it was a HUGE leap in the name of a gag and deflated the reader's ability to take Vegeta, or the story ITSELF seriously. There are times when being a cheeky daydreaming dumbbell can create fantastic works of literary art... and there are others in which you're just being stupid.**_

 _ **Oh, and the cover image was commissioned by me personally. I'm REALLY proud of Transposition F, and I wanted to proudly present it, regardless of its reception here.**_

 _ **Stick around for more, folks! It's going to get exciting...**_

 _ ****2/4/2019 — Dahlia scene updated with Power Level changes**_


	3. Spirit, Courage, and The True Self

The shore drifted ever closer, the endless forest just past the small beaches. She sighed with the calm, the breeze tossing her long golden hair.

It was good to get out of the ponytail. She'd only done that because managing it had become… a lot harder recently, and when she neglected it she looked rather deranged. Her hot-rod of a motorcycle, Bumblebee, served as her perch, sidesaddle style as she looked out. It gleamed in the sun, paint fading between gold and a fiery orange.

"Puddle-jump from Vale," said a gruff, friendly voice, "but something tells me your voyage is just beginning!"

She turned, lifting her carbon shades to reveal eyes of lilac. The voice belonged to the old sea captain. Short voyage as he said, but she had noticed the man wandering about. "Seen a lot of people making their way, or was the ol' magic eight-ball just on-point today?" she snarked, affording him a mild grin.

He laughed shortly. "Oh, come now, don't break an old man's heart."

She tilted her head. "Uh, beg your pardon?"

"So _serious_ , but I can tell just from that, you weren't always," he sighed. "Something missing, is it…?

"Ah, I don't mean to pry… forget I said anyth—"

"Missing, huh?" she said coldly, removing her right leather glove.

Beneath it, her hand and forearm could be seen… or rather, what replaced them. A cybernetic wonder in black and gold, she flexed fingers and a wrist of polymers, experimental alloys and super-dense ceramics. Built for comfort, and combat. "...Was it that obvious?" she said at last, flashing a wry smile as her fingers fluttered at him.

Both of them laughed as the sun shined all the more brightly.

"Hahaha, ah, _there_ it is," he said, beaming. "I'm not good for much, but I can always tell about people. And you've got a _glow_ about you, if a bit tarnished."

She crossed her legs, arms behind her head as she leaned against a porthole. "Yeah, well… it was all fast times, study nights and food fights back at Beacon. Things change."

The captain's mouth fell open and his head dipped. "Oh… oh, I see… you were there for that nasty business, were ya? _Terrible_ shame."

She scoffed bitterly. "Understatement of my life."

He nodded sadly. "All I know is what I've heard… but I've heard a great deal. Dragons clawing their way up from Hades, rogue Atlas machines, a mech-smashing rabbit… So much is too incredible to sift the facts from the pandemonium, but I know the other kingdoms understand even less."

They were quiet, the swell of the sea gurgling as gulls called out. "Still… life goes on," he told her. "It has to.

"Don't lose that thing you've got, miss. Don't let your light be dimmed by the world. Glow _brighter."_

She took a deep breath. "It's Yang, actually."

He smiled. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Yang."

She smiled back, pushing her shades back on.

"Alright, helmsman, reduce to port speed! All hands, we are approaching Himawari Bay!"

* * *

She twisted the throttle as Bumblebee roared off the boat eagerly into the Anima wilds. The wind in her hair, the lingering smell of sea salt… she felt alive again. She felt _control_ again. Nothing was going to stand in her—

Her shades barely dulled the glare as suddenly something stood in her way.

She glimpsed a pink scalp and some weird yellow pauldrons as the sky flared pink, before she swerved wildly, only landing Bumblebee into a sidelong crash that sent them all tumbling. The bike's engine gave a last roar as it slid to a stop before idling out. Unharmed, she sprang to her feet, noticing the human heap she'd just run down.

"Oh my god!" she cried, running over.

His eyes wide, she finally got a good look at him. Black armor, skin tight shorts —she could relate— and those absurd pauldrons. She pegged him for a kid at first, but he was clearly just short. He'd just come up to her chest, and she was pretty average for height. "I'm so sorry! You… you okay down there?"

He stared at her for another second before answering. "I'd call that a short joke, but actually… yeah! I'm just dandy."

Yang offered her right hand, and he took it readily, shooting to his feet and dusting himself off.

"Heh-hey, nice grip there! Yeah, compared to what I was dealing with a second ago, don't worry about me. You took a pretty good spill too, y'know."

She laughed. "Nah, my aura's tougher than _that_. Huntress. Well… _mostly_ , haven't graduated… it's a whole thing."

He stared rather blankly. "Uh… well, I'm no one to judge; I used to be an Orin Temple monk. Scratched that…"

Yang, busy picking up Bumblebee, looked up at the incense burns on his head. "Monk, huh? Might never've guessed."

He chuckled. "Eh, I kept the style. So what'd you hunt? Something that gotcha a bundle of leather, if that getup is anything to go by…"

Yang cycled her key. "No no, not a hunter… a _Huntress_. And you're one to talk about outfits, _shoulders."_

"Well I didn't think you were a dude…"

The engine roared back to life and idled. "Uh… no," she deadpanned, lowering her shades, "a monster slayer… the _Grimm?"_

"Hmm? Grim what? I mean, I've had my brushes with the reaper, bu—"

She killed the engine. "You don't know what the Grimm are…" she said, frowning. "The dark creatures that have hounded our entire species since the beginning of time… What temple _was_ this? Is it in Mistral? How does someone miss a thing like that?!"

"Well I don't know… unless…" His brows knit with concentration before he looked around the area. "Whoa…! Either we got invaded while our backs were turned, or…"

She sat confused as he looked her in the eye. "Wow, holy crap, you're nearly as strong as _we_ were a year back! Are you even actually _human?"_

Yang pulled her shades off entirely, hanging them off her collar. "Okay, I didn't wanna bring this up but… _me_ not human, says the guy without a _nose_ …

"Yeah, I'm tough, but how are you sure just by _looking_ at me?"

Krillin put a hand to his chin. "Strong as you are, but still can't sense energy, huh? So you can't feel anything in…"

He pivoted around slowly, until he faced southwest and practically felt his legs give out. _"That!"_ he cried, eyes like saucers. "You can feel _that,_ right?!"

"Uh…" she groaned, squinting in the same direction. "What am I meant to be feeling?"

"That tremendous power…! Damn _everything,_ just when I thought we caught a break!

"Gotta go dark now," he said, pacing. "If Frieza's still got that scouter, he'll sniff us out! Shouldn't need to hide too hard though, there are way more fighters on this planet, blending in won't be a problem."

Yang watched him with concern. "Uh, hey pal, before you dig a trench there… I was gonna offer you a ride, like, if we were headed the same way, but…"

She came out with it. "Are you _'okay'?_ Like, am I gonna have to worry about you?"

He stopped, realizing that even on Earth the things they considered typical were probably extraordinary. "Believe me, I'm the least of anyone's worries. It's what's out there… I can prove it to you, but… it's a lot of trouble, and I wouldn't blame you for keeping out of this mess."

She crossed her arms. Yang wondered if she was audience to the thoughts of a crazed hermit. Either way, a Grimm would have picked off some roadside nut in the wilds by now. If he _was_ crazy, ditching him here might be tantamount to feeding him to beowolves. "I've never exactly been the 'trouble-avoiding' type," she answered at last. "Pretty much the… like… exact polar opposite of that."

She stepped off Bumblebee, approaching him steadily. "So screw it, guy; how far you going?"

He found it in him to smile. "As far as you'll take me. Don't worry, I pull my own weight."

She couldn't help it. She laughed. "I'm s-sorry, I'm sorry!" she managed, clearing her throat and offering her left hand. "I'm Yang. Nice running into you."

He clapped her hand as he took it readily, flashing his teeth as his grin widened. "Just don't make it a habit. Name's Krillin!"

She snorted. "Why, 'cause you're _shrimpy?"_

"He-hey now!" he chuckled. "All fun n' games until someone picks on the monk."

* * *

Taiyang swept out the old shed in the cool pre-dawn air. He'd been on his own with the kids in Beacon, but with all that was happening, it was empty-nest syndrome plus… _five_. Little to do but keep things from falling apart, have home just the way they left it, so the warm welcome could be all the sweeter.

He didn't know who he was kidding, of course. Ruby had been gone a while, and Mistral was a long way to go. And when they got there? Where did this end?

In any case, he wasn't likely to entertain visitors anytime soo—

He rounded the corner to hear a labored grunt, and found the source in moments. Dropping his broom, he rushed over.

The man was crawling, clawing his way towards the house with surprising speed for a man thus hobbled. He looked to be soaking wet, mud and dirt caking his front. There was no river close by, and the ocean was further still. He knelt down to the man, his orange clothes bright against their surroundings. "Hey, easy! Whoa, pal, where did you come from? Who did this to you?"

His injuries didn't look severe, but he pushed himself onto his back and gasped for air regardless, his strange mop of unruly black hair barely reacting to the shift in gravity.

"No… it's too soon! I'm not… ready!" he said unhelpfully. _"Frieza!"_

Taiyang eyebrows rose. "Well that means… _nothing_ without context. Come on buddy, let's get you fixed up. Hey, Zwei! We've got you a friend for today!"

* * *

' _*BOOM*'_

The little blue hover-car vanished in a puff of smoke just as it had appeared, startling Sun and Blake as the odd human girl strolled up to it.

"Again, sorry for hitting you with it," she said, picking up the resulting blue capsule, "Don't you worry though, my insurance is primo, full coverage… and otherwise, my lawyer makes seven figures, so..."

"Uhhh," Sun stammered, "well that was… I'm fine, you don't have to—"

"Aww, what a tough guy! Don't be afraid to change your mind, you deserve _something,_ " she said, patting his cheek while walking past him and surveying the area. Both faunus were left speechless, Sun idly rubbing his cheek while Blake soured.

"So where the heck did I wind up? This doesn't _look_ like part of the southern continent…"

"It's Menagerie," Blake said simply. "How lost did you g—?"

" _Wait wait wait, hold it hold it!"_ Sun blurted, zipping back around. "What _IS_ that? The thing! With the smoke— the car— the… that was _AWESOME!"_

The blue haired woman watched him geekout with surprise, pulling out a number-one labeled capsule and holding it up. "You've… never heard of dynocaps? The Capsule Corporation? Hello…?" She hit the plunger on the device and tossed the capsule onto a bare patch of dirt. It clattered around for a second before bursting with a sound like a vacuum chamber.

In moments Blake went from confused to start-struck, as an entire dome-shaped house appeared in its place from nowhere. Sun wandered drunkenly towards the building, hand against his cheek. "I mean… I mean… _whaaaaaaaat!"_

He took off towards the structure, delicately touching the doorknob like it might bite him.

"This… is it some new Atlas thing?" Blake asked, finally _far_ more curious than annoyed.

"It's a West City thing. Nothing new about it," she answered. "How far in the sticks am I? Capsule Corp is the wealthiest business on Earth, and dynocaps have been around since twenty years before I was born!"

" _What?!"_ Blake breathed, as Sun chittered with giggles while he opened the door and wandered inside. "That's _impossible. Everything_ you just said… look, I've been a _lot_ of places and dealt with a _lot_ of high tech Atlas toys, but there's no way this is… _this_ just _isn't!_ "

The jumpsuited woman frowned, before a thought occurred to her. "Oh no… maybe you're right! Hold on, come with me, I've got a map inside!"

She gripped the taller girl's wrist and dragged her along inside, slamming the door as none but Ilia Amitola stood up from her hiding place on a nearby rooftop.

" 'Dynocaps,' huh?"

* * *

" _Please,_ hurry!" Ruby pleaded to the Mistralian scouts, as her uncle's stretcher was loaded onto the airship. She hopped on, picking up a surprised Gohan as she did, who stared bashfully at the floor as she seated him away from the open-air access platform. "Uncle Qrow, hold on, just hold on a little longer!"

The humbled Huntsman groaned unintelligibly in reply. Jaune climbed in as she saw Ren and Nora do likewise to the other airship. In seconds afterward, the wash of the engines blasted as they whined and ascended into the sky.

"You folks are lucky we happened on your signal!" one of the scouts told her over the noise. "Supposedly there's something that stalks this valley, picks off travelers. It's why it got the nickname 'Shi no Tani'. Three guesses what it means."

Ruby glanced over at the extraordinary child, who was listening politely. "Just… how long do we have until—?"

Jaune stood up. "Look!"

Her head spun around as they crested the next mountain.

There it was…

The City of Mistral. Set into a vast flat valley of grasslands, twin mountains rose into the sky, taller than they were wide, and upon them was a bustling civilization. As if to represent the city foundations, huge white columns jutted into structures built into the foothills, while an increasingly more intricate and ornate forest of wooden structures with curved tile roofs formed a thin canopy.

All of it looked like one enormous structure, fastened together, all supporting each other as they clung to the cliffsides.

The journey had been so long and treacherous, Ruby Rose couldn't quite believe it. A thousand feelings filled her. What did they do now? Where did they begin? But the strongest was a feeling of safety, and triumph. She had to work hard not to choke up.

"Uncle Qrow… there it is! We _did_ it! We're here…"

* * *

Ruby paced in the waiting room. Qrow had been rushed into Intensive Care, and for an hour the only news was that the staff were pinning down the exact makeup of the neurotoxin at work.

Finally, a male nurse stepped out from the ward, making her whip around. "My Uncle Qrow, is he gonna—?!"

He held up a hand. "We've administered the best we could find to neutralize the effects, but this being from a faunus instead of an animal or Grimm… it's a far more _unique_ situation."

"U-unique?" she asked, as her fellows held their breath.

"Yes, precious few faunus are capable of something like this, so the cocktail they secrete is less understood. That being said, we're the best site in the city to treat it."

"Wwwwhat does that mean?" Nora asked.

The nurse sighed. "It means that with luck, we've negated the worst, _known_ quantities of the venom. The rest, I'm afraid, is up to him now."

Ruby could barely move, even though she felt like running a mile. "So… that's it?"

"Yes, he'll need to sweat this out. Even for the best, miss, there can only be so many ways of treating a sting.

"Speaking of, there's the matter of fees. It's against our duty to refuse treatment, but Mr. Branwen is not a Mistral citizen. Under these circumstances, we normally just bill it to the insurance they _do_ possess abroad at a nominal rate. But with the CCT down…"

"U-um… oh my gosh," Ruby stammered. "W-what do we owe you?"

"Well that's the good news," he said. "His fees have been waived on the authority of Leonardo Lionheart."

All but Gohan leaned back.

"The headmaster?" Ren asked. "How does he know we're here?"

"Well, specifically he knows Mr. Branwen is here. Certain VIPs have been listed by the Council to be brought to certain seat-holder's attentions, if entered into the system. Again, even with a Kingdom's resources, the loss of the CCT has distinctly inhibited the ability to give notice of visitation for certain persons."

"You don't say…" Ruby said, bewildered.

"Also, I've no idea why I've been made into an impromptu messenger, but provided Mr. Branwen recovers, his scroll has been cleared to use the guest residence on the Murasaki District. That would be… two-three-two Masayoshi… that's the street... got that?"

Ruby realized after a moment that she needed to take down his information, and then found herself juggling her scroll as she whipped it out. "Oh no, wait… hold on… Masoyash—?"

Ren stood up, holding his own scroll. _"Masayoshi,"_ he said. "I got it."

She finally caught her scroll, slipping it back into her pocket slowly.

"Excellent," the nurse said, "We'll inform you once the patient has been transferred to the recovery room." With that, he returned to the ward, leaving them in silence. Ruby stared after him, gazing endlessly into the distance.

"Ruby?" Jaune called after a bit.

She turned to meet his eyes, before silently nodding and finding her way to one of the benches. She caught sight of Gohan, mirroring her expression next to her. She gave him a kind smile. "So speaking of addresses, now we're in Mistral, where do you live Gohan? Did your parents teach your house number to you?"

He matched the smile. "Uh… four-three-nine East District, on Mt. Paozu… yeah."

"Okay… is Paozu the name of one of these mountains?" she asked of the room.

Ren shook his head. "The Two Lovers? No, Mistral's peaks are called 'Sozo' and 'Fuku.' It's one of Mistral's founding mythologies! You really should have paid more attention in Professor Oobleck's class."

Ruby groaned at him.

" _Doctor!"_ Nora sang correctively, as a passing woman in scrubs stalled, lowering her clipboard and staring at her.

"Oh, not you hon'..." she said, as the woman rolled her eyes and strode away.

"Gohan, I don't know how to say this, but," Ruby began, taking his hand, "I'm not sure what we're supposed to _do_ about you. We don't know where you live or where your family is! I don't feel right leaving you with child services here."

Nora's face turned crestfallen as she nodded. "He'd just become a ward of the state and be given a foster home. And _believe me_ , being able to overpower your new parents makes it hard for anything in the system to stick."

Several of them stated at her before Jaune added, "Whoa, that's, uhh…"

Nora frowned. "You don't need to be a terror, the knowledge alone freaks parents out. It's a cycle of rejection when they know up-front, _abandonment_ when they find out later, and even when they give it a try it's like they expect their necks broken when you walk into their room at night, just asking for a glass of water…"

Ruby blinked, trying to process _that_ little tale. "Yeah, so, not an appealing option… But if you stuck with us, well… we're kinda in the middle of something dangerous. You're a tough little kid, but I wouldn't wish this on you."

"Oh, well it's okay," Gohan told her, "if Frieza showed up here, then I'll bet the others did too, they're just masking their energy. You can do what you need, I'll just wait until I feel them again."

Ruby's eyes went saucer-like. "Wha— No no no, we can't leave a little boy like you to fend for himself!"

Gohan shrugged. "Mister Piccolo taught me to survive on my own in the wild. That's how I spent most of the past year.

"I don't mean to be rude, but… can you guys hide your power?"

"Uhhh…" Ruby intoned. _" 'Hide_ it?' "

Ren sat up. "My semblance lets me mask emotions…"

"O-oh…" Gohan sighed, staring at the floor.

"Why?" Jaune asked.

Gohan lifted his eyes, if not his head. "Well, if I'm being generous… I'm about a thousand-times stronger than you guys."

He let that statement hit the floor, and plummet through the floors beneath them one by one and into a mysterious wine cellar as he scratched his head.

Nora leered at him, arms crossing as she argued, "Hey, we got the tar kicked out of us fighting that Grimm, so _nyeh!"_ she said, sticking out her tongue as Gohan chuckled. "You haven't exactly met us at our best, sweety."

Gohan stood up. "But no, you guys, I'm serious. Just let me stick around and help till my dad and friends show up."

Even Ren smiled, but he then regarded Gohan seriously. "All the same, we don't have much but your word and your feats to go off of, Gohan. Forgive me, but we might need something more tangible before we take _any_ action."

"Tangible? What do you mean?"

Nora sighed. "Kid… are your pals really out there? You're sure nothing _else_ happened?"

Gohan stared at her with his brows knit in confusion.

Ruby waved them off. "Gohan, none of them saw what I did. They didn't see you show up like I did… you were somewhere _else_ a second before we met, weren't you?"

Gohan nodded contentedly.

"Ruby," Ren said, taking up an admonishing tone, "do _not_ reinforce his delusion, and don't lead his answers. If there's even a chance you were mistaken, you're doing more harm than good."

"Delusion?!" Gohan and Ruby said as one.

Nora glanced at Ren and nodded. "Gohan… we've _all_ lost people we love, but—"

"Before I wound up with you guys we were on a completely different world!" Gohan blurted, determinedly. "Planet Namek, because we _did_ lose people! Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Chiaotzu and Mister Piccolo! We went there to bring them back with the Dragonballs just like we brought back my dad!"

"Dragonballs…?" Jaune asked.

"Nora, don't be crass in front of the boy…" Ren warned.

"What?! I wasn't gonna say anything!" Nora cried, crossing her arms.

Gohan continued. "The Dragonballs are seven gem orbs. They're magic, made by the people of Namek. Bring them together from all over the world and you summon the Eternal Dragon.

"The one we had on Earth granted one wish, but the Namekian one grants three. The first wish is how we got here. Me and my friends, I mean."

"Wait… _wish?"_ Ruby asked. "Like, anything you want?"

"Well kinda," Gohan answered. "I think there are limitations, like they can't do the same wish twice, or kill someone really powerful—"

"They can _kill_ people?!" Ruby squeaked.

"I…!" Jaune began, standing up suddenly enough to get the room's attention before he calmed himself. "I'm sorry… I don't… I don't feel well."

He took off at a brisk pace towards the hospital entrance as the group watched. "I'm gonna… get some air… Just… _People don't come back from the dead, kid..."_

There was a long silence as he left. Gohan looked conflicted, caught between frustration and guilt.

"I'm not lying," he said quietly, before looking up to Ruby, "you believe me, right Miss Ruby?"

His propriety broke the spell of Jaune's outburst as she giggled. He was _adorable!_ "Just Ruby is fine… and I _want_ to believe you…"

Gohan stared at her with pleading eyes, and seemed to come to a decision. "Ruby, is it okay if I try something?"

"Hmm? Try what?"

He stepped closer. "It's something I saw my dad do recently. I don't know if it'll work, but if it does you might have an idea of what I'm talking about."

Ruby's eyes widened in curiosity, and she looked to Ren and Nora, who seemed truly uncertain of the preceedings. "Um… okay, what do I do?" she asked.

He smiled. "Well I'd ask you to lean down so I can reach your forehead, but…"

Before anyone could say anything, in broad daylight, the boy miracle rose off the floor like it were totally natural. Ren who was sitting stood bolt upright, as the standing Nora grabbed his sleeve on her way down heavily into her chair, the other hand over her mouth.

Ruby found herself stiff as he rose to her level, stopped in midair as his hand reached out and planted under her messy bangs.

"Just relax," he said, closing his eyes. "Tell me if you feel it."

She obeyed, searching every sense she knew for a change, however subtle. It didn't help that she was actually pretty hungry…

...and then it came.

It was like some winding path in her mind had been illuminated, a maze with the solution laid out for her. She followed it, as something ballooned to the forefront of her consciousness.

It wasn't quite seeing, and to say it was an expanding feeling in her chest would be to diminish it. It was transcendent. It was a _true_ sixth sense. Had this _always_ been possible? "W-w-what is thi…?" she asked quietly.

He smiled wide. "Wow, it worked! You're sensing the life energy of people around you. It'll take a while before you can do it on your own, I'm just letting you piggyback, sorta. Look around!"

She nodded, as he hovered around her so she could move freely.

She looked to Ren and Nora, and it was like a glow surrounded them, a glow she didn't 'see' per se, but it obscured them the more emphasis she put on this new sense. It was accompanied by a feeling, like lead marbles in her gut… the _weight_ of their power?

She turned to see Jaune walking the street. She didn't know exactly _why_ she knew it was him, but his glow was intense. He was more of a billiards ball. "That's good!" Gohan said, "You already have an instinct for what someone's power feels like! See if you can find your uncle."

She gasped, and wheeled around at the notion. As she searched, she felt the city at large. At once, it was a galaxy and a belly full of toothpicks, each modest light unique in its own way. She scanned over to the hospital, heart sinking as she felt so many dim, flickering souls. At a glance she could tell some were already gone.

Then she picked it out. The power was humming, fluttering meekly. Teetering, but still strong. "He's… better than he _was_ ," she muttered hopefully. Gohan nodded.

"What about you?" she asked.

He frowned for a moment. "Well, I've been suppressing myself to keep hidden, but I'll show you a little bit." He closed his eyes, and in a moment the boy's profile swelled. It was like having a light shined in her eyes and eating _exactly_ too much. She couldn't look away.

"That's all I can do without risking getting caught," he explained, as the sensation dulled.

"C-caught?" she asked, still reeling. "Caught by who?"

Gohan recoiled, and couldn't meet her eyes afterward. Instead, he floated, bidding her to turn southwest as he started to sweat. "By _him_."

He didn't need to explain a word. She jumped nearly out of her own skin. It was like suddenly realizing a giant had been leering over you the whole time.

If Gohan was a flashlight, then this was a sun. Overwhelming in every respect, it almost hurt to conceive, hitting the upper limit and peaking this new sense. It was like going from the freezing winter outdoors to a wonderfully hot drawn bath, and feeling so hot that at first it also felt freezing at the same time.

"What is that…?" she whispered, as though it would know she was speaking of it.

" _That's Frieza."_

In a moment, Ruby was left in a cold sweat as the sense as a whole lifted. Gohan drifted back down to his feet as she gasped for breath. It had been _overwhelming_.

"What did I just see?" Nora asked, still watching the spot where Gohan had been gently hovering.

"I… have no idea," Ren answered.

"You guys believe me _now?"_ the boy asked.

"I… have no idea," Ren answered again.

"Well I will," Ruby said warmly. "But one other thing bugs me from all that."

"Yeah?"

"Gohan, all this strength… but your _aura isn't unlocked."_

* * *

Krillin felt strange with his face being this warm for this long. He'd thought he'd get used to it, but riding the same bike as a buxom blonde bombshell was _not_ a novelty that was wearing off any time soon.

The gentleman in him forced him to release her hips early on, and good old fashioned bashfulness bade him to flip entirely around to place himself back to back with her, watching the trees and trail race away.

 _Damn it, Master Roshi…_

"How ya doing back there?" she called over the motor. "Sorry for the speed, but we've got some ground to cover!"

"No problem!" He shouted back. "But if you were going for speed, I'm surprised you're bothering with the bike at all!"

She turned her head. "Hey, don't diss my baby, it's a classic! I didn't get it for distance, I got it because later stuff is missing that roar. You don't feel the road, either! Call me a grandma, but I just love the old liquified fire dust over the solid-state stuff."

"Hey, no judgement here," he said, leaning to meet her eyes, "I just figure we'd make better time airborne, you're sure strong enough."

Yang shook her head. "Airship travel is out save for evacuation stuff, so unless you've got some pixie dust it's the open road or nothing."

"Airship…?" Krillin muttered. _So she couldn't fly?_

It was then that he saw them pass a fork clearly marked by a sign. He couldn't make out the fork they took, but the other plainly read—

"Hey, I thought you were headed to this Mistral place! There was a sign just there."

"I know," she said. "Our route is a bit… unconventional. Just trust me on this one. Plus, this is the only place for a long while that sells the fuel this puppy takes."

A half mile down the road and a raucous noise of celebration filled the air. "Oh boy… what's this now?" Krillin asked.

As they cleared the trees, they neared the fuel stop, nestled against an alcove of a small mountain… but that wasn't all.

An extending drawbridge was locked fast, preventing access to the station with a moat that surrounded the whole alcove, its bottom lined with wooden spikes. Atop the station was a heavy turret, motors whining as it struggled to align, but grappling hooks on cables held it still and away from its intended targets across the moat.

"Bandits," Yang answered, "good chunk of the tribe, looks like."

"Harassing a fuel station?"

Yang killed the motor, staying by the tree line. "It's never _just_ a fuel station. You can't just plant down a building in the middle of nowhere and survive. See that snowflake?"

Krillin looked to a strong, solid metal gate behind the station. Sure enough, a snowflake emblem was embedded into the steel. "Hmm." He nodded.

"Schnee Dust Company. These stations are all built onto a dust mine. It's their own little communities, franchise-owned satellites. They refine dust and export most of it, sell some at the stations, and the SDC funds the defense budget. Doesn't get much better than Atlas tech…"

She flexed her carbon-fiber fingers.

"But I've been watching the news lately… Dust Embargo's hitting everyone. No CCT, no communication, no dust getting moved, no funds getting wired. Like these places didn't have enough to deal with out here."

The bandits, roughly clad in rugged shades of red, steely grey and earth tones fired weapons into the air, facing the station menacingly.

"They're just waiting them out, keeping them nervous and sleepless till they can raid the place in peace."

"I don't know half the things you're talking about," Krillin began, darkly, "but 'thieving bullies' are universal." He hopped off the bike and began walking towards the group, whose outliers were slowly becoming keen to their presence.

"Ah— hey!" Yang cried, stepping briskly after him and putting a firm hand on his shoulder, bidding him to stop. "You really _are_ nuts! You never even _heard_ of Huntsmen before today, and you're off to throw down with a whole pack? I'm not positive _I_ can deal with this many!"

He turned and flashed her a smirk. "Well, you can join in, but it's not strictly necessary."

She froze as he continued forward, and by then the bandits were pointing the both of them out, about seven splitting off from the group to meet Krillin's stride.

"Hey sixer, what's hot?" a petite bandit girl asked, tapping a chained bat against her collar.

" 'Sixer?' " her stud-helmeted friend asked, crossbow slung over her shoulder.

"Yeah, check the kill-notches on his forehead!" she said, then prodding his stomach with the bat. "Plus the abs! Sorry deluxe-pack, station's closed, pending new management in… eh, give it a few more days."

The crooks chuckled as they slowly crowded him, Yang hanging back and preparing for the worst.

"I'm giving you a shot right now to leave this place in peace," Krillin said impassively. "You clear out, nobody gets Johnny Law involved."

The group laughed yet harder. The helmeted thug retrieved his crossbow. "Out here, only law is that the strongest survive. That's the law of Branwen!"

The others pumped their fists, giving a single short war cry.

"That's the law of the _world!"_

They cheered, machine gun fire spraying towards the sky.

Krillin gave a sly smile. "Alright… we'll play by _your_ rules." He whipped around into a fighting stance, planting his foot down with a slam that shook the ground. Many of them stumbled, and all of them stopped laughing.

The bandit girl took a breath and held a hand up to give the attack order, but Krillin struck first.

With a diving kick, he slid between and under her legs making her reach low in surprise as he grabbed her by the ankle. She fell on her front just before he swung her around as a weapon into three others, the four landing in a heap.

"...Pardon?" Yang asked, letting her shades drop as her pupils shrank.

"Runty little upstart!" helmet shouted, taking aim.

The crossbow was rapid-fire, slinging steel-tipped bolts in a bursting volley, but Krillin's fists became lightning-fast blurs as he matched each one with his knuckles, spraying splinters. At the end of it, he'd plucked a bolt out of the air, and hummed a laugh with his eyes closed as he held it across his upper lip like an absurd mustache.

Helmet took on a look of frustration and fear, before charging in with a war cry to beat him with the butt of his empty weapon. Krillin tossed the bolt at his feet, pinning the bandit's boot to the ground and tripping him as the monk used his head as a step, kicking off towards the charging crowd of crooks and diving straight into the moshpit.

Yang stepped slowly forward as she watched the chaos unfold, ringing noises filling the air as bandits flew out of the swelling crowd. She shook both wrists as Ember Celica, her once-paired shotgun gauntlet, and the matching gun in her right arm popped out at the ready.

As she advanced, some bewildered thugs on the outside saw her and sprinted towards her. The first one came at her swinging a chain, whipping it at her only for her to block the blow with her good arm. Once the chain wrapped around it, she tugged hard, forcing him to stumble forward directly into her waiting cybernetic fist as the shotgun blasted in sync with the impact. His feet flew out in front of him as his head wheeled back into the hard ground.

The others descended upon her as she wadded the length of chain together and set it like a volleyball. She punched forward as the chains crested a few inches, another shotgun blast shattering the chains into a blunted, directional shrapnel-bomb which caught the crooks as they closed in and made them reel in pain.

But she'd been flanked. A bruiser of a man reared up behind her and caught her in a bear-hug from behind. "Bad form, golden-girl! Play nice with me!" he laughed, until she slammed her head back into his nose.

He wailed in pain, but didn't loosen his grip. "Think you're tough? Let's see how strong your bones are! I bet they make a lovely _snap!"_

She groaned as he gripped both arms and shoved a boot into her back, pressing her into the dirt and pulling her taut. Yang stared around as more bandits broke off for her. She weighed her options.

Finally the seal at the root of her prosthetic hissed as her arm turned into a rocket, wrenching the man's arm back even as his balance was lost, and it was just enough to free her.

Now held by a single strong arm, she rolled from beneath his foot and got enough leverage to swing around his torso, until she was seated upon his shoulders like a piggyback ride. Yang retrieved her replacement limb and belted him along the back of his head with it. "Timber…"

A green flash signified his aura breaking seconds before he fell flat on his face unconscious, the brilliant blonde riding it down and finishing with a forward somersault to her feet, upon which she was faced with another thug.

There was an ear-splitting _'SMACK'_ as she swung her prosthetic instinctually like a flail, its open palm slapping the now wide-eyed bandit, who reeled and rubbed a hand on his face as he awkwardly skulked away wincing. She watched, torn between humor and confusion as a lass wielding a cutlass crept up behind her.

Not even turning her head, she tossed the arm behind herself, and the surprised crook caught it without a thought… just as Yang spun around to deliver a hammer-kick to the skull which practically buried her head halfway into the sand. Still aloft, Yang grabbed hold of her arm and fastened it back on with a twist, as Krillin burst out of the mob and beside her, skidding back along the ground while using a prone human being like a snowboard.

He hopped back before raising his palm to the air, leaning heavy to the extended arm's side.

She watched him curiously, and noted that she wasn't alone in that, before a bright yellow sphere of light formed, before spinning wider and wider into a luminous disc. It grew before their eyes, until it was several feet across and buzzed with a dangerous sound.

" _Kienzan!"_ he cried, before lobbing the bright circular blade forward, the remaining thugs ducking or hitting the dirt outright as it curved across the battlefield. But its target proved to be nothing alive. Instead, it severed the grappling cables tying down the heavy turret, before grazing part of the mountain and dashing into a shower of sparks as rocks tumbled down.

The turret went instantly to its duty, twisting and delivering automatic fire from low to high, with a sound like the cannon it was. It fanned low to high over the battlefield, tripping up and blasting back bandits as they all scattered in full retreat. A scant few fired their own weapons back at it as they ran, but the heavy gun hardly cared.

Yang pulled Krillin behind the huge bandit's unconscious form, and waited out the storm, finally emerging as the sounds of jubilation rang out from the station. They saw the bridge extend to admit them as miners and the old shopkeeper came out of hiding.

Yang finally turned to Krillin, a huge grin on as she punched him in the shoulder. _"Bulletproof monk!"_ she cried, as he smiled sheepishly. "Never heard of Huntsmen? Tell me _another_ story, that was crazy!"

"Well I wasn't joking," he told her. "Not so bad yourself!"

"Pick your brain later," she said, hopping on Bumblebee, "our public awaits!"

She rumbled the machine forward as he followed into the station, the adulation of grateful men descending upon them.

* * *

She slammed the map down on the dinner table, finally catching Sun Wukong's attention as he marveled at the Capsule Home's fully working plumbing.

"Here," the space-faring entrepreneur said, stepping back as they each stepped forward, "I don't suppose you could pick where we are off of _this_ map?"

Blake and Sun only needed a glance.

Blake loomed over it, staring from major city to major city. "No… we can't. This isn't Remnant! Most of this is just one enormous continent!" She brought a hand to her temple, the implications breaking over her like waves.

"That's because _this_ is Planet Earth," their new acquaintance explained, "and just like I thought, I've ended up somewhere else. 'Remnant' you said?"

Sun had busied himself this entire time silently letting his mouth hang open, but finally found his voice. "So you're a freaking _space alien?!"_

She smiled. "Didn't know they came this cute, did'ya? Oh well, if I'm stranded on another planet, at least it's one that's civilized."

Blake couldn't help but find a chair and sit down. "This is _insane_ … I feel like we should have nothing to do with this, but how do you just _ignore_ your whole world changing?"

Sun immediately crowded the blue-haired scientist. "So why'd you come to Remnant?! Or _how?!_ Is your name something catchy and weird?!"

She stepped back, blinking. "Oh yeah… we _did_ sorta skip right past introductions, didn't we? Alright then, I'll go first." She offered a hand. "I'm Bulma, Bulma Briefs. Catchy enough for ya?"

Sun glanced at Blake before rather swaying side to side. "S'alright…" he muttered.

"I'm Blake," the amber-eyed activist offered. "Belladonna. The boy-child invading your personal space is Sun Wukong."

Sun turned to her, pouting with an animated shrug of his hands.

"Sure, just leave me hanging…" Bulma said, hand still extended, eyes half-lidded. "I think the hospital we took Goku to was named Wukong… small cosmos…

"As to _what_ I'm doing here, I never intended to be on _this_ planet in the first place. We all went to Planet Namek, but I have _no_ idea how I wound up here. There was just a bright flash, and _POOF!_ New zipcode."

"There _has_ to be more to it than that," Blake said, standing up to wander the house.

Bulma shrugged. "Hey, it's more than you two kids have given me. All I can tell is you guys are easily mistaken for earthlings."

"We helped save you from quartz crabs earlier," Blake said, glowering. "I think that's worth something…"

"Okay, tolerance is cool, but you don't have to pretend," Sun said, waving his tail, "I've got this, she's got the ears…"

Said ears twitched unconsciously as Bulma stared.

"Okay, you guys have some animal parts, am I meant to be weirded out?" Bulma asked with a smirk. "Because several working citizens where I come from are bears, and the King of Nations is a blue bearded terrier. You're downright normal by our standards."

Blake and Sun shared a look.

"I…" Blake began, shaking her head. "I have no idea how to feel about this… On one hand, that sounds almost like paradise. And on the other…"

Bulma blinked, sitting against the windowsill. "What? People give you grief for being part cat? I mean, there are a few jerks in our neck of the woods, but…"

"It's better than it was, not that some faunus will _admit_ that," Blake elaborated, ears folding, "but places like Atlas and Mistral still practice open discrimination, though at least Mistral is more or less honest about it. Humans and the faunus have been at odds for a _long_ time."

"Wait… humans? Because I'd call _myself_ a human, so… alien humans? That doesn't make sense…" Bulma concluded.

Blake nodded. "No, it doesn't. Which is why I'm trying to decide whether or not you're just an escaped lunatic that got a hold of some top secret tech."

Bulma recoiled, before regaining her composure with a smirk. "Ah, Occam's Razor, huh? Alright, get me a pen and paper, I'll put a schematic together right now. It'll work too.

"Puts _my_ mind at ease being here, actually. A little technical prowess and I'll ascend the social ladder in no time… Huh, I don't remember this type of coil getting left here…"

Blake looked up and froze. Running over her palms, Bulma held a length of steely cable, banded evenly with a yellow glowing material.

" _Bulma, put that dow—!"_

But the surprised billionaire shrieked, electricity arcing through her as the coil lit up. She slumped over, conscious but weak as the coil swept back before swinging back to wrap around her waist, tugging and pulling her out the window and onto the shoulder of—

" _Ilia, NO!"_ Blake shouted as they locked eyes, before the whip-wielding girl lowered her mask and bolted.

Blake took a flying leap out the window and gave chase.

" _Where the hell did SHE come from?!"_ Sun demanded hotly, before bursting out the door and following.

Blake found her predictably sprinting for the tightest, most complicated series of buildings nearby to lose her in. She'd have to, encumbered by a whole person over her back.

She passed under a scaffold, and Blake quickened her pace. If she took the high ground by leaping to the rooftops, too many things would obscure her vision, and she'd lose her for sure. Plunge in after her, and Ilia would drop the scaffold right on top of her. She knew the playbook all too well.

She opted to hurl Gambol Shroud in its entirety, ribbon trailing through her fingers as Ilia leaned to avoid the cleaver's blade. It embedded in the far wall of a 'T' intersection even as Ilia swung her whip at the scaffold legs and slicing them cleanly with a sizzle. Blake pulled the elastic ribbon as hard as she could as she bounded forward, the scaffold beginning to collapse as she passed beneath it. She crashed through three boxes, but emerged on the other side just as Ilia stalled, having nearly tripped over the ribbon, instead veering right.

Blake landed against the same wall her weapon was stuck in, planting her feet into a gravity-defying crouch as her favored hand gripped the handle. She pulled it out and kicked off, spinning into a corkscrew as she landed, hot on Ilia's heels. Blake was close enough to clear the gap, and shot forward into a flying tackle. But she grabbed nothing but air as Ilia leapt ten vertical feet skyward.

The lone cat girl fell on her front, rolling and sliding to her feet, but her quarry was already kicking off the walls towards the rooftops. _They were going to lose her._

"No! You! _Don't!"_ Sun cried, dropping down from the roof at the far end of the street, staff in hand as he swung overhead to smash Ilia's head.

Her mask slipped as she was cast down, landing with a cry of pain along with a barely stirring Bulma.

Ilia's head swiveled as Blake and Sun closed in from both sides of the street, before reaching for her weapon and aiming the retracted point against Bulma's temple as her other arm hoisted her into a sitting position. "Back off!" she demanded. "Blake, if you value the faunus at all, _look the other way_ on this!"

"Why?!" Sun asked, visibly livid. "So you guys can just pick off random humans?!"

"What are you even _doing?!"_ Blake wondered aloud, keeping her weapon trained on her old friend.

"With this kind of technology, the faunus will finally have an advantage over the humans!"

Ilia explained. "With these cap things, we can finally bring the fight to the kingdoms in ways they'll never see coming! We need this! I can't let something like this slip away!"

Amidst all the chatter, Bulma came to and glanced around to recognize her situation, frozen stiff.

"And what happens when you're done with her? She's just disposable? Is this what you've become?!" Blake asked, taking a step forward.

Ilia's skin flashed to a green, her hair and freckles going blue. "She'll serve our kind further, like the rest of them! This isn't about exterminating humans, it's about putting them, and _us_ where we deserve!

"I'm not letting her fall into human hands! I'll kill her first!"

Bulma groaned fearfully as Ilia pressed the whip blade harder, but managed to speak. "I-I'm no good to you dead! You'll never figure dynocaps out just by taking them apart! You're more likely to get yourselves sucked into a super-dense pocket dimension—"

 _SHUT UP!"_ Ilia ordered, before pointing her weapon at Blake. "You're going to ruin everything!"

"Ilia, you're not a _killer!"_ Blake told her, taking another step.

"I'm whatever my people need me to be! What I want comes second if it helps our—"

A fist attached to a slender arm rose from below to sock Ilia in the nose, stunning her a moment as Bulma twisted away, batting Ilia's armed hand as she used the opportunity to flee for Blake. "Get your paws off me, Little Miss Murder!" she cried, as Ilia recovered and took aim.

The shot glanced off Blake's cleaver as she dashed forward, embedding its bladed tip into an archway behind her.

"Gotcha now!" Sun declared, as his arms wrapped around Ilia from the back. They struggled but a moment before she retracted her weapon, dragging both faunus through the air as it behaved like a grappling hook.

Sun struck the archway and fell flat, while Ilia swung beneath it, gaining distance before she landed, sliding along the dirt as she pulled at her weapon. Sun had to roll out of harm's way as the archway collapsed, flooding the street with dust and obscuring Ilia's escape as her skin matched the sandy beige in the air. "It's not going to work Blake!" she shouted. "The humans will _never_ accept us as equals!"

She billowed into the obscuring dust, even as Sun stood up and gave chase. "Stay with her, I'll be back!" he told Blake, vaulting over the ruined remains of the arch.

Blake considered calling him back… but he was right. However she felt about Ilia, she had dangerous information and needed to be captured, or Bulma was going to have a target painted on her back. The only full-blooded human for a good long while…

"Sun, be careful!" It was a toothless sentiment, but she wasn't sure what else to do.

"Ohh…! What did I do to deserve this?" Bulma asked of no one behind her. "Thanks for coming after me. I don't know what her deal was, but she was seriously about to make a kebab out of me!"

"Oh," Blake said, "don't worry about it. Good on you using that opening, glad to see you're not helpless. You're probably going to need that instinct if she comes back…"

"Definitely not my first hostage situation," Bulma told her, "but I'm not _that_ good, just seen a few fights in my time."

Blake put a hand on her shoulder, offering a smile. "Well we'll protect you until we figure something out, but it'll make our job easier if you can also protect yourself.

"Speaking of which…" she began, looking the girl over in concentration."

* * *

" _I am not always going to be around to save you, Weiss."_

Weiss rocked awake with the turbulence. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and it was surreal once she did. As if she needed even _more_ reminiscing after her little dream… memory… Then she remembered she wasn't alone.

Her head whipped around, and her nerves immediately set on edge as she saw _him_ staring out the window, wide awake. She didn't dare attract his attention, this Prince Vegeta.

"Hmm. You're awake," he said, not turning.

 _So much for that._

She stood up. Might as well make nice. "Yes," she said carefully. "I'm not sure how you knew that."

"The Saiyans are a warrior race," he answered, "and our instincts are honed for battle. But the ability to sense the energy of living things is one I've only recently acquired. I could tell you were waking before you'd even stirred."

She put her hands on her elbows. "Is everything you say tailor-made to skeeve me out?"

He smirked. "Just being honest. You'd rather I left you in doubt?"

She considered as the ship lurched slightly. "I suppose not."

"Heh," he intoned. "It's something you could probably learn yourself, I can sense the potential. You're nearly on the level of my old partner, and he was a full-blooded Saiyan like me. Play your cards wisely, girl, you could be useful. Especially if…"

She shuddered. "Useful? Useful for what?"

"Tell me, your father… who is he?" he asked, finally turning around to lean back against the wall.

"My F—?" she began to ask. "He's Jacque Schnee, owner of the Schnee Dust Company, one of the most influential private bodies on Remnant."

"That's all?" he said, eyes boring into hers. "He's not moonlighting as a deity when your backs are turned?"

She scoffed. "Deity? His head is big enough… why? You don't seem the type to care about money or business."

He hummed an acknowledgement. "Nothing. Stupid idea I had, that's all." He closed his eyes as silence filled the room.

"So… Saiyans? That's some kind of alien?" she asked.

He didn't open his eyes. "To your people we would be."

"So, is this your true form?" she asked.

"Well what did you expect?"

"I… I don't know?" she said, feeling foolish. "Tentacles, slimy skin? I just figured you'd stand out in a crowd more than just your enormous hair."

He coughed out a laugh. "You'd call mine modest if you saw the third member of my team. Before his failure got him killed anyway…

"Your power is nothing particularly special, not even to _HIM,_ but certainly not _nothing,_ and quite a few on this world have _well_ exceeded it. Yet a military force offered such meager resistance, relying on mere machines? Just what made _you_ into such higher stock?"

She never thought she'd find herself measured against an alien warrior she'd never met. "Well, I've been training to be a Huntress. Huntsmen and Huntresses are the defenders of humanity, the strongest there is."

He growled slightly. "There _has_ to be more to it than that. If those soldiers were anything to go by, it must require a certain disposition or bloodline. What I did to them was the closest I come to 'mercy,' and _certainly_ you'd have been capable of it."

She widened her eyes, arms dropping. "I'm good, _very_ good… but what you did is the most I've seen of _anyone_. And you're telling me you were holding back?!"

His eyes narrowed. "Seriously? Alright then, I _have_ to know for myself." He stalked over to the bay door and punched a button, the hold taken instantly by a gale of icy wind as it opened.

Before she could do more than stare, he hopped up and hung in midair, looking to her impatiently. "Well?"

She stumbled back. "W-well WHAT?! You can…?! Look, I don't know about space aliens, but humans cannot generally _fly!"_

Even as his frown deepened, his outer brows shot ever higher with confusion. The moment ended however, as the doors suddenly closed on their own.

" _The hell is up back there?!"_ the Pilot's voice rang in over the intercom. _"You guys trying to lift product?!"_

Weiss dashed over to the cockpit door. "I'm sorry! Just… getting a bit stuffy back here!"

" _Well them's the breaks, kid! It's a cargo bay! We've got A/C up here. You're welcome to it if you need, just as long as you don't get spotted by Air Patrol, but don't pull a stunt like that again, y'hear?"_

Vegeta grunted. "I'm warning you now, girl: if he takes that tone with _me,_ I'm going to put him through his own damn console."

"Noted," Weiss deadpanned.

Vegeta walked around the space nearest the bay doors without crates, idly inspecting it. "Here. This will do," he said. "One blow, the hardest you can deal me. Now!"

"Y-you want me to… _hit_ you?!" she asked.

He huffed. "I want you to _try."_

Weiss stood conflicted, but ultimately complied, retrieving Myrtenaster from its case as he rolled his eyes.

"Even still your kind, relying on weapons… splitting your fighting style for the sake of a truncheon, it's madness!"

Weiss sighed. "I can manage alright without it, if you're _scared—_ "

The very air burst, rattling the ship as he struck her with a piercing glare. "Use your stupid crutch then! But insult my pride like that again and your pilot will be pulling it from your neck!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" she cried. She took for granted for one stupid statement that he hadn't tried to hurt her yet… "Hard as I can… when you say…?"

"Any time," he said, arms crossed. "I'll suppress my power to your level so I can feel it."

"I'm really less about raw power and more about precision and finesse," she told him, whipping her blade in a short circle.

"Fine qualities, but the greatest fighters possess both. Now _hit me,"_ he demanded.

She took a breath. "Okay." Her off-hand swept low as a glyph glowed beneath her, spinning like a gear faster and faster.

With a single stroke, she thrust forward, sliding over the floor on the glyph. She closed her eyes as she braced against the impact, which swept through the compartment and caused the ship to lurch.

"Substantial power level, but incapable even of basic abilities like flight…" he commented. "Such a sickening waste of potential!"

She opened her eyes. She'd worried that unarmed she might skewer him, but her concern was misplaced. With a pair of fingers, he held her blade fast. Everything. All she had, held at bay like she were nothing at all. He hadn't even uncrossed his arms. An idle flick of his wrist.

He released Myrtenaster as she stumbled back in surprise. " _How…_ How can I so _plainly_ feel a power exuded by you that doesn't reflect your ability? My time on Earth taught me of those who could _hide_ their energy, but puffing up to give the false appearance of strength is something altogether different… It shouldn't be _possible!_ Or are your kind so coddled that you can't even control your power?"

"N-no!" she objected. "Huntsmen and Huntresses are necessary just for us to _survive!_ Humanity has been plagued by the Grimm for thousands of years! Dark creatures with no purpose but to hunt and destroy us and what we've built! We're forged in the fires of adversity! There are so few of us, but _they_ are never-ending!"

"Ah," he said, considering quietly. "I think I see it. These creatures, you keep them at bay, do you? They're not so overwhelming for you to alter tactics?"

She hefted herself to sit upon a crate. "Well, the four kingdoms hold most of the populations, and rises in technology have made things mostly manageable…"

"You had to better yourselves to survive, but then your enemy became a known quantity. Requiring special resources, but rarely rising beyond a nuisance, only causing true havoc when it's least expected."

"Um…"

"So reaching a certain standard was sought, but nothing more was ever required. Your abilities plateaued, but it wasn't a problem that forced you to think in lateral terms, to find the source of your power and seek another path."

"We _know_ the source of our power," she told him. "It's called…"

* * *

" 'Aura?' " Gohan asked? "I dunno what that is."

Ruby nodded. "I figured, since you're such a toughy without it. Aura is what we call your soul's power, the thing that makes our semblances and superhuman abilities possible.

"It can shield us when we take a hit, or it can be our greatest weapon. Without it, we're just muscle and bone."

"Oh, so it's ki!" he said, understanding alight in his eyes.

" 'Ki?' " Nora asked.

"The energy of living things!" Gohan answered. "Or, well… one specific part of it. I don't know about the shielding part, but Mister Piccolo taught me ki is divided into three parts…"

* * *

"Gen-ki, Yuu-ki and Shou-ki," Vegeta explained. "You can think of the first as your latent vitality, your will to live. It's not generally used for offensive combat, but I've recently seen someone use it in a surprisingly potent technique.

"You said this 'Aura' of yours produces a sort of defensive barrier?"

Weiss was listening intently, and answered immediately. "Yes. It also allows semblances like my glyphs, but that's dependent upon the person."

"Hmm," Vegeta grunted, smirking. "Assuming it's all one thing, I know what your 'Aura' _really_ is, then.

"Before coming here we faced a squad of supreme warriors, and among them was a fighter barely worthy of his place, aside from his extreme mental fortitude and psychic techniques. His name was Guldo."

"What Aura _really_ is…?" Weiss parroted.

"Guldo, like you… like these Huntsmen of yours, have mastered _Shou-_ ki. It's spirit energy like mine, but purely of the mental disciplines. It is the energy tied to one's true nature, and in it lies the capacity to unearth specific techniques and skills that are innate to their being and ability."

* * *

"Like your disc thing? That's your semblance?" Yang asked, as she walked Bumblebee back across the drawbridge, fuel-laden, free of charge after their helping hand to the town. Krillin walked backwards as they spoke.

"I guess?" he said. Arms folded behind his head. "If you learned to tap into the rest of your power, I could probably teach it to ya."

Yang frowned and shook her head. "Well… then it _can't_ be a semblance then. I couldn't _teach_ mine to somebody."

"Wow then, you guys must have _really_ mastered Shou-ki as a people," Krillin stated. "I've got a friend named Chiaotzu who really takes to the mental disciplines of ki too, and he's definitely got some abilities I couldn't dream of pulling off."

"Well, so," Yang began, ever more intrigued, "what's this _other_ power then? Is that what your little death-move used?"

Krillin nodded. "Like I said, Yuu-ki. Some call it the energy of courage, and it deals largely with the body. It possesses the greatest raw power, but it's useless if the mind, body and spirit aren't in sync. My friends and I dealt with a guy recently who could switch bodies with people, and he tried to steal my pal Goku's."

Yang stopped. "What?! No way… what kind of crazy semblance _is_ that?!"

"I don't know, but it didn't do him any good," Krillin explained. "Goku's power was amazing, but only because he could match the three aspects of his ki. By drawing out and infusing your body with yuu-ki, you can surpass your body's physical limits, and as long as you can increase your ki there's virtually no upper limit on how powerful you can become. Easier said than done, of course…"

"Wait wait wait…" she said, shaking her head like she were rebooting her brain. "You're saying you can make yourself tough as a brick wall _even_ with a down aura? Is yours even _unlocked?!"_

* * *

"Unlocked?" Gohan asked. "Like what the Grand Elder did for me?"

Ruby blinked. "Sorry, who?"

"Uh… nevermind. It was like a power boost! He unlocked my hidden potential."

"Well, not quite," she said. "Maybe it'll unlock a deeper part of this 'Shou-ki,' if it's like you're saying, but for one thing you'll have the same passive barrier we do."

"Really?" Vegeta said, feigning half-interest, even as his eyes were wide and alert. "You think you could unseal a power I've left untapped?"

Weiss smirked. "Agree to help me understand this 'yuu-ki' power, even just getting started, and I'll at _least_ give it a shot."

"Ha! Fine. If nothing else I admire the ambition."

"Okay then…" she sighed, her palm extending. "Hold still…"

* * *

Bulma's eyes crossed as Blake's hand cupped over her forehead. She appeared to concentrate as she closed her eyes.

A moment later, her eyes flew open, dilating as Bulma felt something curious. _"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality…"_

* * *

Gohan sat transfixed at the sensation as Ruby chanted, knelt down. _"Through this, we become a paragraph—"_

" _Paragon…"_ Ren corrected.

"Yeah that... _of virtue and glory to rise above all..."_

* * *

" _Infinite in distance and unbound by death..."_ Yang versed, as Krillin felt a warmth to accompany the heat in his cheeks.

* * *

" _I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee…"_ Weiss finished, a visible glow around the Saiyan Elite as she retracted her hand. He stood, looking over himself, no longer a trace of sarcasm in his demeanor.

* * *

Four foreigners to Remnant felt an awakening as the rituals concluded. It wasn't a substantial change, but there was no denying it.

Meanwhile, Jaune Arc wandered the streets of the city of Mistral. He wouldn't go far, but he had too much on his mind. He got a few looks from the citizenry, likely because of his blade. Most of them wore flowing robes in all manner of colors, but others were clearly of another class or culture altogether.

As he pretended to peruse the markets, he heard a gasp behind him. He turned to find an olive-skinned girl with braided orange hair carrying her shopping. She couldn't have been any older than Ruby was on her first day at Beacon. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, shrinking and very nearly dropping her treasures. "It's just… my name is 'Silea, and— a-aren't you one of those fighters? From the tournament?"

Jaune stood foolishly. "I… well, yes… I was on—"

"Team JNPR!" she blurted. "Right?!"

Something felt strange to Jaune —imagine that— though he couldn't grasp why. "Right, I—"

"Then you know her!" she burst, grinning openly. "You know my sister!"

"Your sister? I… oh no…" he finished with a whisper. The penny finally dropped as Jaune noticed one thing.

' _Silea_ _had the most brilliant, familiar green eyes..._

 _ **A/N: Aaaaaaand that's it for the weekly starter chapters, folks! I think these three present a good foundation, but from here we will have at MOST updates every two weeks, as I'm keeping at least one finished chapter shelved while I work on the next. Once I have two finished and begin work on the next, the next gets released.**_

 _ **So I hope you all noticed and enjoy my slight format change to this and my previous chapters, grouping more lines together and having fewer singles. This was suggested by a FEW people, and I'm more than happy to make adjustments if they improve the experience.**_

 _ **That said, if you take issue with things like grammar or comprehension… please cite specific examples. Painting a broad brush doesn't help me distinguish the problem.**_

 _ **Sadly no Frieza this chapter, but I hope the action beats helped regardless. You can see my take on Yang visiting the "Just Rite" station, and how it's basically the heavily defended face of a small town, and not just an undefended biker bar in the middle of Grimm infested woods… Blake and Sun are being more proactive as well.**_

 _ **Ah… and the three-part ki concept. I'm pretty proud of this, and NO, I didn't just make this up. Gen-ki, Yuu-ki and Shou-ki are things Toriyama himself has used to describe how Ki works. Really, all I did was define Aura and semblances as fitting into the Shou-ki aspect. This explains Huntsmen having decent power levels but not showing any outward ability with it.**_

 _ **Training their Aura directly contributes to their power levels improving, but without a concept of Yuu-ki, it means very little for them. They just don't know how to use it…**_

 _ **...yet.**_

 _ **Also yes… if you properly guessed who young 'Silea at the end is… I'm going there. Because Rooster Teeth sure didn't. I think they forgot kids usually have… families...**_

 _ ****2/4/2019 — Updates concerning Krillin's remarks on Yang's abilities and Vegeta's comments concerning Remnant persons in general.**_


	4. What We Lost To The Fire

He sat upon his throne, freshly commandeered from its human owner. The now open-air office was the center of attention for the city of Vacuo. Nobody could have missed the pyrotechnic display that played prelude to the demise of Shade's headmistress, and the only way to the top that remained was to climb the sloped walls of the academy itself.

The first wave of lambs had attempted exactly that, only to be promptly cast down in an awesome blast of wind, tumbling or outright launching to the base of the Vacuo's fortress of learning. Moments later, a number of creaking craft squealed their way through through the air towards him. The largest, a sort of floating, rusted barge opted to hang back, as smaller gunship-type craft with independently articulating jet engines closed in to show their broadsides off to him.

Their side doors opened to reveal seated gunmen, though one ship looked only to seat an officer, who spoke into a ceiling-hung microphone and through massive speakers slapped onto the fuselage. _"This is the Minutemen! Whoever you are, you've been marked a threat to the people of Vacuo! Surrender or die!"_

"Ah, an ultimatum," Frieza muttered to himself. "The final mercy of the mighty… and the last gasp of the delusionally defiant." Still, the fact that a man with a mouthpiece held him to any disadvantage was anathema to him, and unfortunately the Lord of Lords was not possessed of a power for voice projection.

" _Last chance! On your front or we—"_ He cried out and stumbled as a fuschia lance of power sailed past his ear and harmlessly through the open catwalk, but all that crossed the speakers was an ear-splitting distorted and electronic shriek as the death beam split the sky.

The air barge, safely sitting in the back was speared head-on, run through with its windows flashing instantly aflame inside. Behind even that, a tall hilltop was blown off, slinging rock and earth a clear mile as a bright purple convection current dragged the awful energies into a proper mushroom cloud. A moment was spared for all parties to watch the barge fall in flame and ruin, crushing a town square and setting more than one city block on fire, letting off greasy, oily smoke.

The barge had barely struck the ground before the Minutemen took all manner of action, two of the gunships falling back immediately, but the first shot was taken by a sniper as Frieza felt a light flick against his forehead. He stared between his own eyes, peeling the small, soft thing away as he regarded it with a smile. "How tragically droll."

A flick of his finger, and the last thing that went through the gunman's head was his own round, accompanied by the glass of the rifle's scope. The starboard engine burst into flame as metal and shrapnelized glass spread like a shotgun, but punched through like grapeshot. The gunship fought an immediate, slow tailspin as it limped off, but it would inevitably strike something before it touched down. Fairly dealt with as far as Frieza was concerned.

"By the gods!" the man giving orders exclaimed, as something appeared to phase into existence behind him with a shrill noise.

"You called?"

He spun around, only to come face to face with the short horn'ed demon, who held a pair of sharp nails inches from his sternum. It was barely a tap, yet he staggered back, clutching his chest in pain. Frieza only watched with casual unconcern as he fell from the ship, wailing as his body rapidly expanded larger and larger like a balloon.

With an agonizing scream, a blast swept up to rattle the craft. He'd never even hit the ground.

"My dear man," Frieza began, addressing the pilot behind him, who looked back at the scene with his mouth agape, "set us down atop the Academy, won't you? Unless you'd like to share in his fate."

He wasted no time, putting down and killing the engines even as the other craft finally came to a skidding halt outside the kingdom wall, a wing shearing off as it tumbled onto its back, fouling its surviving engine as desert sands were sucked into the turbine en masse.

The terrified pilot leapt out of his seat and ran, hyperventilating for the next step down from Shade's rooftop.

"Tut tut," Frieza said, "were you dismissed then?" A narrow beam caught him from the back as he reached the edge, and he went still, sailing quietly off the roof and out of sight. "I don't abide a deserter, whoever they work for."

He stepped up to the hanging microphone, the sirens of emergency vehicles and dull roar of flames on the air. Frieza gave the mic a single tap of his finger, the noise a single blurt of bass that rang out into the night. He let the silence reign.

" _Are you alive, 'Kingdom of Vacuo?' "_ he asked, his voice magnifying. _"The time is come that we had a pleasant 'fireside chat'!"_

He waited. Slowly, he made out the shapes of people in the streets, listening. _"I am Lord Frieza, the one that will save you from your meaningless existence, that you might strive in the name of something greater than yourselves!"_

More filled the streets with caution, beholding the voice as if they all hoped they were hallucinating it.

" _I'm talking about_ myself, _of course. Speaking of which, in the spirit of pioneering and new beginnings, I hereby re-christen this cluster of hovels and barest commerce, 'Colony One,' of Frieza Planet Four-Eight-Three!"_

There was the slightest hint of murmurs among the forming citizenry, dark mutters that Frieza was all too familiar with.

" _Well now, we've all had our fun… but here, and no further my friends._

" _I shall grant clemency to those that have raised hands in defiance against me, but henceforth all resistance to the Rule of Law that is the word of Lord Frieza, shall be deemed highest treason!_

" _Treason itself, defined as criminal conspiracy against the Frieza Force, theft and vandalism of Frieza Force property, resisting any command issued by a Frieza Force operative, or dereliction of one's duties by way of sloth or incompetence… All shall be penalized by the extermination of the individual's bloodline along with themselves. Those unwilling to carry out sentencing will be subjected to much the same, for reasons already stated. Furthermore, failure to report seditious acts in itself will be considered criminal conspiracy… and well… you get the idea."_

The rabble began to froth with rage and fear, as the crowd nearly turned on itself. The most enraged were close to storming the academy, while others were already tackling the former, edging towards a full-fledged riot.

Frieza smiled as he stepped back into the hover-chair, sighing, "Ah, it never fails. It would almost be boring, except that I _do_ love a problem that takes care of itself..."

He floated back within range of the microphone. _"You're all quite welcome to rescind this by force, preserve your ignominious way of life… but know you will have_ THIS _to contend with!"_

He raised a hand to the sky, and in seconds the ground shuddered as a cone of blackish-red power fountained into the heavens, as wide as Shade Academy itself, a beacon that roared into the sky and dragged the airship up and into oblivion with it. Arid desert clouds rippled away as others still formed rings around the jet, whose light left all of Vacuo to the appearance that it was drenched in blood, its citizenry cowering under the light that cast such a shadow…

* * *

"Yes… yes, I understand you're not _that_ kind of doctor, Bart."

He had been awake for hours, feeling out, almost too weak to speak. Barely able to move, he focused on the distant details, his gracious host's voice receding into the back of his mind, even as he walked past his place on the couch to continue his conversation. "Man, I don't know _where_ he came from," Taiyang continued, "he showed up here, sopping wet, beat half to death, mumbling something about refrigerators."

The frantic voice on the other end of the call reached Goku's ear as pure gibberish. He really _was_ in a sorry state if his senses were _this_ dulled.

"Well sure, my first _thought_ was Raven dumped this guy here," he answered, brows furrowed in thought. "He's wearing these martial arts clothes, and he's built like a tank, so if they fought he fits the bill. But she's never done that before."

The voice on the other end made a further suggestion, even as Goku heard a tinny bell ringing along with the shuffling approach of small paws. A weight was suddenly on his chest, as the source breathed hotly on his face with an excited panting.

"No…" Tai answered lowly. "No, that doesn't fit Raven at all. If she beat him this bad, she'd leave him humiliated, or she'd finish the job. She wouldn't use her semblance to get _rid_ of someone she couldn't beat, she'd consider that cowardly. Besides that, not a sword-wound on him.

" _Zwei…!"_ Taiyang warned, as Goku felt his face assaulted with a small tongue. "He's resting, bud. You've gotta give him some space…"

The panting Goku heard ceased, and he heard a perplexed licking of canine lips. Goku didn't mind the friendly creature one bit, but he _was_ distracting him from assessing.

Gohan… he'd felt his son's power flare up a few times, just slightly... Krillin had one incredibly minor incident… He'd felt Vegeta fly off the handle almost immediately, but he'd gone quiet since. He suspected others might have crossed over too, but he couldn't be sure.

What he knew was that they were all separated, and at the very least, this guy Frieza was a ways off… but he'd been busy. Frieza didn't muffle his power at all. He might not even know _how_. Or might just not feel like he needed to. He wasn't sure _what_ Frieza was up to, just that a few powers had gone out, and he'd flexed his own a few times. Probably just bullying the locals...

"Weird he's in such fighting shape though, because his _aura_ isn't even unlocked. If he wakes up, I might do it for him to enhance the healing process…"

The voice chattered away somehow more feverishly as Zwei only settled his weight further onto Goku's chest, the pleased panting returning.

"Bart… Barty…! Look…" he refrained, before standing rod straight and raising his voice. "Yes! I have _no idea_ who he is! No ID, no pockets to _keep_ a wallet or anything. He's got this symbol on the front and back, but when I asked our linguistics guy, he said it was just some word for ' _enlightenment_ ,' and for all we know he bought it at some kitschy flea market 'because it looks cool.'

"Look, you have field-medic experience! Signal's staff is too backed-up with the overflow from outer Vale, and without ID getting him treated is gonna be _trouble_ , especially if Raven _is_ involved.

"I just need to know if this guy can crash here and recover, if he needs serious treatment or if it's even safe to _move_ him."

The voice lowered its tone, hemming and hawing before seeming to relent.

"Uh huh!" Taiyang replied enthusiastically. "Okay then! I'll see you here. Watch the roads, been having some ursa trouble lately. Bye…"

The scroll clicked off, and Taiyang sighed. "Okay… that's that then. Zwei, don't be a pest…"

Goku decided he'd test his strength, if for no other reason than to thank the man. With a strain, his eyelids flew open, and he opened his mouth to take a deep breath.

He saw the corgi stir with interest and begin sniffing like mad as Goku's chest tried to lift him with his lungs expanding. The little dog took the hint and leapt off, claws clicking against the hardwood floor as he began barking like mad.

"Zwei, what th—?! Oh…!" Taiyang said, rushing over as he noticed Goku stirring, eyes wide open. "Whoa whoa whoa, easy easy _easy!_ Dunno what's wrong with you, but I wouldn't make any plans just yet."

Goku tried his limbs. He could _just_ move his head, but the crunch needed to sit himself up was out of the question. That said, his left arm was sore, but he could move it with some difficulty. "Th-thanks…!" he replied, meeting the blonde man's eyes as the dog's tail went wild. "Sorry, I've been listening in while I was lying here. You're Taiyang, right? My name is _Goku…!"_

He offered his hand, which Taiyang took gingerly. "Uh… sure, pleasure."

"So who's Raven?" Goku asked immediately.

"Uhm…!" Taiyang stammered at his bluntness. "Ex wife, ex huntress... lead's a bandit tribe out in Anima. That old chestnut..."

"Well, nobody _I_ know, I can say that much," Goku told him. "Where I was before I wound up here… unless your old lady was a blue guy, red guy, or purple guy… and _dead_ …"

Taiyang's eyebrows rose with every detail.

"...I haven't fought _anyone_ that fits the description," Goku finished, before noticing the look his host was giving him. "Oh, it's not like that. This guy I know named _Vegeta_ killed them, I just knocked them out so they wouldn't hurt anyone."

There was a fairly pregnant silence as Taiyang slowly nodded, eyes fixed on him. "How long were you awake…?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Goku sighed. "Long enough to guess I'm not on Earth. Of course, I never watched the news back home either, so I _could_ just be real behind on stuff."

"...'On Earth'. What's 'Earth?' " Taiyang asked, as Zwei stood on his hind legs and placed his paws on the cushion beside their visitor's head.

"Oh… well I guess that settles it then," Goku chuckled as he reached to muss the dog's furry head. "Hee hee hee, good boy!

"Earth is where I'm from!" he explained, before thinking of something and making an exasperated sound. "Uh, or… it's where I've lived all my life, is what I mean. I'm actually a Saiyan. That's a race of alien warriors, by the way…"

"...Uh huh," Taiyang responded, allowing a single nod of his head.

Goku took a sharp breath again as another thought struck him. "Oh, right! You're an alien too, so you probably know all about it."

The slightest smile crept onto the blond patriarch's face. "Whoa, hey! First, aliens don't all know each other, man, that's a little messed up to assume… Second, if you're on _my_ planet, that makes _you_ the alien."

"Well yeah, that's what I said," he replied, confused.

Taiyang's eyes widened as the truth of his words struck him. "O-oh right, you _did_ say that…"

Zwei looked between the two, looking pleased with himself.

Goku sighed. "Sorry, I'm striking out _hard_ here…"

The gracious host stood up rod straight. "What…?"

"It's like my wife says," the hero of Earth elaborated, "if I'm not starting a rollicking good fight… I make a pretty bad first impression."

A visible calm came over the father of two at that. "Aw, don't beat yourself up," he told him, "Besides, looks like someone else already had the pleasure."

Goku laughed, before coughing sharply. _"Urgh, laughing hurts…"_

"Sorry," Taiyang said curtly. "So what were you muttering about when you first showed up? It was something about a freezer?"

Goku's eyebrows rose. "Oh, yeah…" he said, glaring into the distance. _"Frieza._ Listen… your planet's in danger..."

* * *

Gohan kept staring at his hands. It was hard to believe that yet _more_ power hid within him that Piccolo nor the Grand Elder had found. But, he supposed it wasn't _hidden_ power, just power he hadn't learned to use yet. It wasn't terribly impressive… just very different.

He sat politely in the waiting room. They had been getting some stares from earlier, but they mostly had the run of the place. Ruby had gone in for a while. Apparently family alone could visit patients that were also VIPs. Some security guff that she had objected to, but ultimately complied with, heading in to watch over her uncle.

The door opened, and the girl herself emerged with a brisk step, her eyes red, but the rest of her smiling. Gohan, Ren and Nora stood up, not asking the most obvious question with words.

"He's okay," Ruby said at last. "Up and talking. They said he'll be cleared to leave by tonight. He's gonna be _fine_."

"Woo, ain't _that_ a dramatic sigh of relief?" Nora exclaimed. "Been a _tragedy_ if the mangy old drunk wasn't around to harass bar wenches."

"Nora…" Ren sighed. "Too s—"

"What?" she asked. "He didn't keel over, he _deserves_ some victory ribbing! Ruby _knows_ I'm right…"

The red reaper in question rolled her eyes, but smiled regardless.

"Hey, what'cha got there?" Nora asked, pointing at the envelope in Ruby's left hand.

"Oh, letter to home," she answered. "Wasn't sure what to do with myself… he seemed like he could go both ways, so—"

At that moment, the far door opened suddenly. "Guys!" Jaune nearly shouted, half-jogging over to them. "Guys…" he repeated, "I've got— Oh wait, how's—?"

"Be fit as a fiddler-crab by midnight," Nora answered. "There, now you say _your_ thing, ya' tease…"

"Uh… 'fiddler crab'?" Ruby asked. "I don't get it."

"She's just hungry," Ren explained. "You were saying?"

Jaune froze to the spot for a moment, before he turned slightly towards the young girl behind him, who none of them had noticed approaching before now. Clad in soft blue, it didn't help her evident malaise.

Ruby locked eyes with her a moment, before the girl looked away, sniffling.

"Who's your friend?" Ruby asked.

Jaune sighed. "Team… this is 'Silea. Penthesilea Nikos…"

Gohan, watching politely from the back, beheld as a wave of understanding spread like fire between the young Huntsmen. Even Nora covered her mouth with both hands as she sought the eyes of her team members.

" _Nikos…?!"_ Ruby asked, thunderstruck. "J-Jaune… what have you told—?"

"I know," 'Silea said suddenly, looking as though speaking were physically painful. "He didn't have to _say_ anything… It's written all over your faces! I was s-stupid to get my hopes up anyway! It's been nearly a _year…!"_

" 'Silea… I just want to say… Pyrrha—" Ruby began, voice shaking, but the girl shut her eyes fast, holding a hand out in warding.

"J-just… save it! You can say whatever you want later! Right now, I-I can't…!"

"Later?" Nora asked, surprisingly timid.

Jaune stepped forward. "I promised her I'd explain to her parents. It'd mean a lot to me if you guys came, but I wouldn't blame any of you if—"

"Of course we'll come!" Nora blurted, her voice fragile. "All this way, and I miss something _this_ important?"

Ren nodded. "I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't afford her that respect."

Ruby stared at the floor, pained. "And I _have_ to come. What I have to say can't come from anyone else. It wouldn't be right."

She turned to Gohan, who watched as he pieced together what was being discussed. "Gohan… this won't be a happy meeting we're going to. Are you okay coming along?"

He regarded her quietly. He felt he was intruding on something private… but they still wanted him there. He nodded, but Nora made an uncertain noise.

"How much Lien have we still got?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the boy.

"Money?" Ruby wondered, before an idea hit her. "Oh, you think we should bring something? Flowers, or—?"

"No!" she said, before stopping to think. "Yes! ... _Maybe!_ What I meant was… the kid _kinda_ stands out for a visit like this, don't he?"

Everyone, including 'Silea, gave Gohan a sweeping look.

Indeed, even among Huntsmen he looked utterly strange. The blue skin-tight material covered most of him until his torso. Armor on a child only raised further questions, and the huge pauldrons on top of the rest of it made him look like a superhero.

In other words, not the right dress for such a solemn affair.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah... I'll go with him to find something a bit less…"

"Babyface?" Nora suggested, to Jaune's incomprehension. "Watch more wrestling, Jaune…"

"I was gonna say, 'spandex,' but potato-tomato…" Ruby said. "That alright, Gohan? Your mom ever play dress-up with you?"

Gohan shuffled his feet, nose reddening. "Yeah."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Good! Text me the address… it's on this level, right?"

'Silea nodded curtly.

"Okay, we'll meet you there in an hour," Ruby said, taking Gohan's hand as she headed for the door. "Uh… Gohan, can you _dress_ yourself yet?"

"Yeah."

She sighed quite a bit. "Okay, good! Cause I never had any brothers or younger siblings, so that part would be pretty awkward."

"Me neither!" he told her. "And _I_ never had an older sister."

Ruby burst into a fit of giggles. "Aww, stop buttering up the shortbread, you little dork…"

* * *

Bulma took a step back. She felt… _fuzzy_. It was a bit like being laden with wooly clothes and static electricity, but not that at all. No… _like_ that, but _inside_ too.

"W-what did you do to me?" she asked

Blake grinned. "I unlocked your aura. If you're being hunted, you might as well have some general defense. It'll shield you, at least a bit."

"What?" Bulma asked, the smile unsettling her.

"Sorry," Blake said, letting out a breath as she rubbed her forehead, "you've had me so captive and confused this whole time, it's kinda nice to see _you_ out of the loop."

"What, your friend hauling me off to play 'hostage' didn't do it for ya?" Bulma asked bitterly. "At least _she_ wasn't gonna try playing 'footsie' with me or something."

Blake leaned against the wall, sighing as she looked away. "Sorry. Don't make assumptions though. You might be a bit on in years for her, but 'footsie' wouldn't be out of the question."

Bulma stared blankly.

Blake regarded her expression ponderously for a split second before standing straight again. "Oh! Not against someone's will or anything… at least, I don't _think_ she's that far gone."

"Wait, how do you know that?!" Bulma demanded. "When I said 'friend' I was _joking!"_

Blake took a breath. "Ilia is a member of a faunus rights group. The White Fang. And until a few years ago… _I_ was a member too. I was in with my friends, one named Adam Taurus… and you've already met Ilia Amitola."

"A few _years_ ago?" Bulma breathed. "You can't be out of high school! What were you, some kind of delinquent?!"

Blake closed her eyes, shaking her head. "It… it wasn't like that. Not at first, anyway. My parents _started_ the White Fang as an advocacy group. It was about fighting for our people, yes, but it was also about outreach. It was about _understanding_.

"It took me longer to catch on, but it warped into something ruthless and hateful… my parents abdicated leadership, and… well, it's only gotten worse."

"So, what?" Bulma asked. "It's an equality terrorist organization?"

"You can't call what they want 'equality' anymore," Blake explained. "Now it's just about revenge for what was done to our kind, and more. They don't want to reach the middle and stop anymore. They want to flip the script and make humans experience exactly the pain and hardship _we_ did."

Bulma found a crate and sat down. "How does _that_ just seep in? I mean, _you_ caught on, your folks did. You can't be the only one to see the problem."

Blake's eyebrows rose, and she stammered a moment. "Well… okay, you're half right. It hadn't _really_ gotten bad until Adam… well, apparently his ideas have been gaining traction. It's not the entire White Fang. That's why Sun and I are going to the nerve center for the White Fang leadership, Lower Shambhala, because Adam is going to stage a coup d'etat… radicalizing the entire White Fang."

Bulma leaned back. "Whoa, how'd you get the inside track on _that?!"_

Blake smiled. "We got a hold of Ilia's scroll… it's an electronic device," she explained, holding out her own, the white and gold gadget's transparent screen expanding to a more proper size.

"Oh, so a phone then."

"A… a _phone?_ I mean… that's _one_ thing it does, sure, but—"

" _Wait wait, hold the pho…_ uh _...scroll!"_ Bulma told her. "You have actual evidence, and you're not _warning_ these people?!"

Blake's lips pursed dangerously. "Of _course_ we are. My father is planning a press conference for the moment we get back with the whole thing documented."

"I meant why didn't you leak this internationally?" Bulma rephrased. "On the web, or _whatever_ that amounts to on your world?!"

"That's the other thing," Blake said, countenance darkening. "A while back, international communication went down. Completely. There _are_ no digital comms between the Kingdoms anymore."

Bulma stepped back, her imagination taking root. "What?! The entire planet?! What the heck could have happened, an asteroid strike?!"

"Adam happened," Blake explained. "The CCT system was shut down when their attack took out Beacon Tower in the Kingdom of Vale. I was there."

"Wait, a _tower_ falls, and all global communications just _tank?!_ "

Blake nodded. "The Cross Continental Transit system allows communication between the four kingdoms, but they only work as an adjoined system. One tower goes, they all go."

Bulma's eyes looked liable to bulge out of her head.

"You okay?" Blake asked.

" _What kind of stupid, backwards, ineffectual model IS that?!"_ Bulma demanded, drawing the stares of passerby, even after the destructive skirmish that took place there not minutes previously. Blake herself flinched, surprised at the outburst. "What if a tower needs maintenance?! What if a squirrel fries itself on a wire?! _All_ global comms go down, everywhere?! They seriously set up a system that could be taken down in one shot?! It's like they MEANT for this to happen!"

Blake blinked a few times. "W-well, the philosophy behind it was, 'either Remnant speaks together, or not at all'. It was supposed to encourage cooperation and foster trust between the kingdoms and make them depend on each othe—"

"Oh, and look where that's gotten them," Bulma said, crossing her arms. "Because I'll bet _nobody_ starts pointing fingers when comms go out all at once and nobody can clarify what's going on for days at a time! Paralyzed economy, no idea whether it's just the opening move before getting stabbed in the back by your 'stalwart allies'. Yeah, this wasn't doomed to fail _at all_ …"

"Good to see she's not lost for words," came Sun's voice, from above. Both ladies backed away as he swept down from the roof, looking put-out.

"No luck?" Blake asked unnecessarily.

Sun shook his head ruefully. "Tagged her once or twice, so if nothing else I don't think we'll see her too soon."

Blake stood straight and began walking briskly to the end of the alley. "Then we should get going while the going is good. Bulma, are you going to be okay?"

The blue-haired doyenne tilted her head. "Okay what?"

Blake urged her forward and went in _very_ close, lowering her voice. "The coup. We're leaving on my parents' boat. Obviously you don't have to come along for the dangerous stuff, but if we leave you with my parents it makes my family an immediate target, so we at _least_ need you on the boat."

Bulma sighed, looking less and less comfortable being a wanted woman. "Well… I didn't have any _other_ plans."

* * *

"Now arriving at the City of Mistral. If you are continuing with us to Windpath, be sure to retain your reboarding pass as staff clean and inspect the cabin."

Oscar Pine marveled at the grandeur of the infamous 'city of the north wind,' as the intercom pointlessly alerted the train's occupants to the plainly obvious. Two peaks rising above, Haven Academy bridging them near the top. Beauty and culture sang from every crack in the twin mountains.

" _It's quite something, isn't it?"_ the much maligned voice of… his new _self_ commented, seeing through his youthful eyes. He'd long stopped fighting it.

"Sure is… I'd always heard of how huge and dense and beautiful the kingdoms were, and we always had pictures. But it's a lot different, seeing it yourself."

" _I've already noticed some…_ _ **differences**_ ," Professor Ozpin noted. _"I wonder if you did likewise."_

Oscar gave a breath of laughter as he saw out, minor structures passing by the windows. "We're playing this 'ancient memories' game again?"

" _Well… these aren't_ _ **so**_ _ancient."_

Oscar noticed after only mild concentration that he _did_ notice things that felt off, or wrong. "The lower levels are a lot more decayed… run-down. There were a lot of smaller homesteads and farms plots… but most of _these_ are empty or under a single property. All well defended. The bottom tier defenses are a little _too_ familiar. No automated systems, all of it in disrepair. _Leo…"_

" _Very good,"_ Ozpin said, audibly nodding. _"Yes, I'd heard rumors for a great while. And while I wouldn't place the blame squarely on his shoulders, Professor Lionheart_ _ **does**_ _sit on the Mistral Council._

" _From what I've come to understand, Mistral has districted itself in a hierarchy of a most assuredly_ _ **literal**_ _sense. The further from the peak, the least in society. And while Atlas bears a deeper economic disparity, its defenses and climate tend towards the protection of every citizen. The same cannot be said of Mistral."_

Oscar frowned. "So at the end of the day… what are we here to do?"

" _Simply put? Prevent the fall of another Huntsman Academy, make safe the four Relics, keep the power of the other Maidens out of_ _ **her**_ _hands. If we can enlist the aid of Professor Lionheart, all the better."_

"And this… Qrow Branwen? You think he'll come here?"

" _I do. We had a number of contingencies regarding my reincarnation, and I was quite clear that if the worst should happen, if I fell against the enemy and the school was taken, that one of my confidants should follow the best lead. There is no question that all roads lead to Haven."_

The breaks squealed on the train as it finally slowed to a stop. The doors opened as station attendants stood by as sentinels to distribute passes and look over itineraries, as passengers began to flood out.

Oscar slowly worked through the scrum at the door to the streets beyond. "Well, no way but forward… whatever _that_ is."

He stepped out onto the crowded streets, beggars and merchants and shady characters navigating the organized chaos. "So many people… where do we even _begin_ to look?"

Ozpin gave a small chuckle. _"I think I have a good idea."_

* * *

Gohan watched with ironic concern as the older boy with the _surprising_ power level walked out from the train station, evidently alone. If not for his energy, he wouldn't have noticed, but he was doing all he could to occupy himself as Ruby attempted to compensate the good man at the register for services rendered… with mixed success.

"Oh wait… so do I tip you? What's the acceptable rate for—?"

"Miss, don't _insult_ me, I do not need your _charity,"_ the older, tight-skinned Mistralian clerk snapped. "I haven't tailored the child's clothes, so these are _goods,_ not _services_ anyway. But In Mistral the price is the price."

"U-um, okay…" Ruby said awkwardly, digging through her pocketbook.

Gohan, trying not to stare, looked once again over his new clothes. A familiar shade of purple, they were roomy and comfortable, right down to the soft shoes. It wasn't a fighting gi, more akin to robes, but they weren't so fragile to come apart with movement. The lack of sleeves on his shirt were literally a breath of fresh air, not to say that the armor had been suffocating.

"Hmm! And I need pity _least_ of all from some culturally dead, ignorant tourist, who enters _my_ establishment with her ratty, tattered cape. Not to mention, stinking up my store with her sweat and body odor. Perhaps your parents haven't taught you the facts of life, but it is generally appropriate for girls your age to start wearing deodorant."

Ruby blushed, her expression finally crossing from generally embarrassed to legitimate insult.

"You don't talk about her like that!" Gohan ordered, standing as tall as he could, not even reaching the countertop.

Ruby turned in an instant, expression softening as she ruffled his hair. "Gohan, i… it's okay, we're just gonna pay and get outta here."

The clerk looked down at Gohan, his lips puckered to the side in vague amusement. Ruby pushed a handful of Lien chits —in exact change— onto the counter. _"Here's your money,"_ Ruby said in a low tone. "Have a nice day," she finished, not looking at him.

She took Gohan's hand and tugged gently as they walked out of the store.

"Try not to give the other stores any more trouble. Good doing business with you," the clerk said at last. Gohan stopped, Ruby turning to see the look in his eyes. It was a piercing stare if she'd ever seen one—

The clerk had been busy with the register when the machine burst into smoke with an electronic _'pop'!_

" _D-doshitano?!"_ he screeched. _"Majide?! Nandeeeee! Atlas piece of TRASH!"_

Ruby immediately turned on her heel and walked away as stream of mixed obscenities billowed out into the street like audible smoke.

"I learned _that_ one from Mister Piccolo," Gohan explained, grinning puckishly.

"We'll… talk later," Ruby said, "First…"

She lifted her other arm, trying as subtly as possible to sniff her underarm. Wincing, she flushed slightly. "First let me hit up the drug store…"

* * *

A short while later —Ruby feeling considerably fresher— she held her scroll out as they walked, following local navigation to the address she'd been provided. Every step forward, Ruby felt her stomach twist into knots…

"Gohan… you know what you did wasn't exactly nice, right?"

Gohan paused, face falling. "Well, I mean… what _he_ said wasn't exactly nice either."

Ruby nodded. "No… but that's not the point. I know you're not a Huntsman, but you still protect people, right?"

"...Right," Gohan muttered.

"Well… the reason _I_ do what I do, why I'm here... what I think a Huntress' _purpose_ is… it isn't to get even with people that did something wrong. It's not to make others answer for their crimes, or decide where guilt lies.

"It's to _protect_ people, _whatever_ that demands. Even people that might not deserve it. And sometimes the people on the wrong side of that get what they deserve that way, if the only way to save people is to _hurt_ them, or… take a life."

Gohan couldn't see it, but Ruby had a distinct memory, curling Crescent Rose around an insectoid tail…

"My point is, our strength doesn't give us the right to do whatever we want… especially at someone else's expense."

Gohan stared into her eyes. She wasn't chiding him, or even criticizing him. She was guiding him away from his mistake. "I understand… I'm sorry."

She smiled. "That's fine…! I'm flattered you want to protect me too, but jerks are just jerks. Let him stew in his shop…"

"Ruby," Ren said clearly, but dispassionately from across the way. They looked up to see 'Silea and the rest of RNJR gathered around a tight cluster of small homes made out of white, veined stone.

Ruby Rose felt her heart hammering, the wilted group looking not at all better as the setting sun too began sapping the warmth and light from the world. She and Gohan crossed the gap.

"Those look a lot better," Nora said, eyeing Gohan and trying her best to smile approvingly.

"Thanks," the boy said, the tension on the air like a wound-up spring, and they all knew what would set it all off.

Jaune looked fixedly at a spot on the floor as he leaned back against the wrought-iron fence, its paint faded and material rusting with age. "So… we all ready?"

There was a sort of non-commital nod rustling through them all, none too willing to set off this emotional powderkeg, and none too afraid to acknowledge what _must_ be done.

"Okay," Ruby breathed, hiding her ragged breath as she subtly shook. " 'Silea… lead the way."

They truly weren't far. Ruby looked over the uniform homes, terribly small, with gated yards barely capable of housing a small garden, let alone a lawn. Not drab or rundown; merely 'affordable,' for remaining in step with the higher class district. The one they were headed towards sent a chill down her spine once she saw the plaque mounted over it in just-faded gold lettering, with a single word in unfamiliar words she was highly suspicious of... _'Νικοσ'._

"So…" Nora began, in her most earnest attempt to break the ice, "Penthesilea… Kinda surprised you shortened it to 'Silea, and not Penn—"

Everyone but Gohan and 'Silea flinched, and Nora looked like she'd just stepped into an untriggered beartrap.

Ruby could barely believe how quickly they reached the door, like she were delivered there on a treadmill. For a moment, none of them said or did anything, working up the nerve to finally, irrevocably begin what could never be taken back.

'Silea jerked her arm forward, rapping three times against the door, looking as though she'd ripped duct tape off of her mouth.

It was too much to hope for the silence to continue, as they heard a muffled stomping while someone approached the door. It opened quickly, the drab interior quickly apparent as a brown-haired man just under Jaune's height stepped out, clad in a flattering blue vest and a white top underneath. He too shared the same, almost _glowing_ green eyes. The scent of food wafted out to greet them. "...Can I—? 'Silea?" he began, finding her eyes as his own swept across the group. "I'm sorry, who might I ask are…?"

"They're foreigners from Vale," 'Silea told him. " 'Team RNJR,' they said. Team RNJR, this is my father, Peleus Nikos."

Mouth parting, he gripped the doorknob, white-knuckled as he stared. " 'Lo," he managed, unconsciously rubbing his neck.

"They're here to speak to us, father," 'Silea explained. "They've come a long way."

"Of," he began, hand reaching his mouth before sliding it down to his chin, "of course… Please, come in. _'Trera!"_ he called, vanishing inside and rounding the hall in a few strides, as 'Silea motioned for them to come indoors.

The door shut as the group shuffled to fit in the small living room. Gohan worked himself into the corner, glancing about the room to get the layout.

Meanwhile, Ruby took notice that the place they landed in featured a wooden trophy case, and hung upon the walls were banners for Sanctum Academy, a theme of red and gold dominating everything. Within the case, she noted the four gold cups, all inscribed with a chillingly familiar name… but they were nothing compared to _so_ many framed pictures of a tall girl with red hair and jade eyes, clad in golden armor…

Well, at least in most of them. Ruby looked back to see Gohan staring at the same images, so blissfully unattached and unaware. Nora looked like she might fall over, staring fixedly to the spot Peleus had vanished without daring to turn, while Ren looked between everything with an unreadable face.

But Jaune Arc… his eyes fixated upon a fair few images, eyes staring out at him. His mouth hung, and his eyes sat open… not actively wide, but he didn't seem to know what to do with himself. The vision he beheld was a framed image of the same girl, far younger and wearing more casual white sportswear. She sat on her father's shoulders, having conquered a hill overlooking the lower districts of Mistral. She looked rather lanky, but unquestionably fit, braces over her gleaming teeth.

"Dearest…?" came a voice from down the hall, a voice bearing such a family resemblance, that same warbling cadence that it was painful. "Peleus, would you just tell me?! Is there something wrong with dinn—?"

Tall as a post, a sharply-featured woman in a flowing, faded gold dress held by a single shoulder strap followed her spouse into the room. Short red hair sat above tired brown eyes, which fanned over the group packed inside their veritable shrine.

For a second, Ruby thought a look of horror crossed the lady's face, but it shifted into a pleasantly surprised smile that seemed a touch _too_ wide.

"Why… I'm sorry, 'Silea, is this a social call?" she asked, hand on her hip. "It's a bit late, dear, your father nearly has dinner prepared, and I'm afraid we haven't _nearly_ enough for this many."

" 'Trera…" Peleus began, his face sagging.

"Oh! My apologies," she said, laughing as she offered her hand to as many as she could reach, each of whom took it glacially. "I'm Otrera Nikos, 'Silea's mother!"

Surprising all of them, Ren took point. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And as gracious as it might be, we couldn't impose on your meal. We've only come to you with news from Vale."

Peleus watched his wife's eyes as she momentarily froze, before that same smile adorned her face. "News, why… why that's just _grand!"_

She snapped her fingers at a sudden realization. "We haven't any extra food, but we can whip up some garlic bread in a matter of no time at all! It's _rude_ to eat in front of others without offering _something_ , after all, and news is best received on a full stomach!

"Forget the dining room, family, it's the terrace tonight! We'll do this _al fresco…"_

With that, she immediately left the room to the smaller backyard, arranging chairs and tables as the rest of the Nikos family watched her like she were a drowning victim in peril.

"I… I'm sorry for her, she's…" Peleus couldn't finish, instead walking off to help his wife's preparations.

In due time they were all silently seated, meals served accordingly, such as they were. "So, how _is_ Vale these days?" Otrera asked none of them specifically.

Ruby found it in her to answer. "Well… things have been hard on _everyone_ since Beacon, but… we're not sure _what's_ going on now. We left in the middle of winter."

Peleus lowered his forkfull away from his mouth. "And you've only _just_ arrived in Mistral?" he asked. "Surely transport can't be _that_ bad, we've still gotten timely parcels from Vacuo in the city!"

This time Jaune spoke up. "Vale barred all air travel that wasn't for evacuation. And, well… money was tight, so we had the idea to hoof it for Shion, and then catch an airship the rest of the way. But when we got there… Shion was destroyed."

'Silea looked up. "And once you were that far into Anima, it was quicker just to push forward the rest of the way."

She and Jaune locked eyes. "Yes," he answered.

"So, because of Beacon you've come instead to study at Haven?" Otrera surmised. "You've arrived just in time for the new term."

"We… _did_ come because of Haven," Nora explained, "but it's… it's complicated."

Otrera had been glancing between Jaune, Ren and Nora for much of the time, but finally came out with the question burning a hole in her mind.

"I'm sorry, _what_ Huntsman team did you say you were all from again? I'm afraid I haven't caught your names.

"Team RNJR, Mom," 'Silea said flatly.

"I'm Ruby."

"Lie Ren."

"I'm Nora…"

"Jaune Arc… and the little guy is Gohan. He's not a Huntsman, exactly… we're watching him… for a friend."

"Hello," the boy offered politely.

"Arc," Otrera repeated, quiet, but clear as crystal. "Jaune Arc, I… I know that name. Team 'RNJR'? What is that, that's not what it was, it was Team—"

"JNPR," Ren finished, nodding. "Yes, it _was_ … but…"

"Where is my firstborne champion…?" she finally asked, the last vestiges of that smile failing as her eyes filled with fear. "Why isn't it _Team JNPR_ anymore?! Where… _where is my daughter…?"_

" 'Trera," Peleus began, his adam's apple dancing as he shook with a nervous swallow. "It's been almost a _year_ …"

"Yes!" she snapped, her voice increasing in pitch as the calm fractured. "It's been almost a year, with no word! No letters, but for the _sponsors_ to rescind what little remained of the royalties! Would 'no longer publicly support such a controversial figure!' _Nothing_ but the last thing we saw of our daughter, which looked to be her _murdering_ that Atlas girl, before all lines went dead! And then the Grimm came in _hordes!_ And we had to evacuate while wondering day after day what had happened to my darling girl!"

"Pyrrha didn't murder _anyone!"_ Jaune said, standing up. "It… Pyrrha was _duped._ She was forced to see something that wasn't there, and she thought she was in danger… she only acted to defend herself."

The Nikos clan were utterly lost to this information. At once relieved, particularly 'Silea, whose eyes _almost_ brightened. "I knew it…!" she said. "Everyone at school has made fun of me, they've tried to tell me my sister's a killer… I _knew_ it wasn't true!"

"Nobody who knew Pyrrha could believe it was true," Jaune said firmly, voice shaking.

While the implication had hung in the air, Jaune felt every muscle go taut as he realized he had just dropped his late partner's name, unambiguously in the past tense. It hadn't gone unnoticed, Otrera herself looking like she'd been turned to stone, a single sparkling drop rolling down her face.

Peleus wrung his hands over his face, eyes reddening and glassy. "Why would the White Fang frame our daughter…?" he asked, shuddering as his mass of confusion boiled over. _"What was the POINT of all this?!"_

"It wasn't about Pyrrha," Ren said quietly. "She was used along with everyone else, to sew confusion, to make it _appear_ that Beacon and Atlas weren't to be trusted."

"And it wasn't _just_ the White Fang," Nora added, only drawing uncomfortable motions from the Nikos family.

"Nora…" Ren whispered, catching her eye with concern.

"No!" Jaune said, firmly. "She's right. They deserve to know _why."_

Peleus slammed his fist against the table. "Damn it, _who?!"_

"I'll ask a question first," Jaune began. "...Do you believe in magic?"

"W-what…?" Otrera stammered, still barely moving.

"Magic," he repeated. "Legends, gods, fairy tales… to you, is _any_ of it real?"

'Silea's confusion peaked. "What does this have to do with _anything?!_ What does this have to do with my sister?!"

"Everything," Ruby said. "P-Pyrrha… you… us… _everyone's_ been dragged into a war thousands of years old, whether they know it or not."

" _Damn the gods, and damn your magic!"_ Peleus shouted, his wife still catatonic. _"Give me a NAME!"_

" _Salem,"_ Ruby answered, staring into the distance as the name made the very breeze colder.

"And who the hell is _that?!"_

"The Grimm's master," Ren explained. "She commands them, she manipulates mankind from the shadows, and she seeks nothing less than the end of the human race."

"That's madness," Otrera managed. "Who could believe such a thing…?"

Nora nodded. "But… it's the truth."

"Again," Peleus said, shaking. _"What is this to do with our daughter?"_

"Do you know the Story of the Seasons?" Jaune asked. "The wizard, and the four—"

"The sisters he granted his power?" 'Silea finished. "M-mother used to tell us that story."

Otrera gave the faintest nod.

"That's _also_ true," Jaune said. "The four Maidens were _real_ , and when their lives come to an end, they pass the power on to the last person in their thoughts.

"But a while ago, the Fall Maiden was attacked by…" Jaune's voice shook, and suddenly his breathing had intensified.

" _Cinder…"_ Ruby finished for him, darkly. "Cinder Fall… One of Salem's followers. With dark powers, she stole half of the Fall Maiden's magic, and she barely escaped with her life.

"Professor Ozpin was trying to protect her from Cinder… but she snuck into the school with others, pretending to be students from Haven. They knew it was only a matter of time, before Cinder made her move, and the Fall Maiden was too weak to fight back… she was dying. They needed to give her power to someone el—"

" _WOULD YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT BECAME OF MY CHILD?!"_ the stricken mother exploded.

"They chose Pyrrha," Jaune said, drawing the family's attention from perplexed, to alert. "Ozpin let her in on the situation, and offered her the power." Jaune's fingers nearly dug into the table as he spoke. "Because she was _worthy."_

"So…" 'Silea began, mouth agape with wonder, "my sister became a... _Maiden?"_

Jaune's eyes found a way to slip further to the floor. _"No…_ she accepted too late."

Ruby stepped in. "My old team, Team RWBY… we fought Cinder's plan a bunch of times throughout the school year without knowing it. Dust robberies in Vale, White Fang gatherings, because somehow she got _them_ on her side too… A break-in at the CCT, a hole blown into town to let Grimm into the streets… it was all leading up to that moment at the Vytal Festival Tournament.

"It… _it_ happened, the Grimm swarmed in, the White Fang attacked, Atlas' machines were turned against everyone."

"It was _all_ just chaos to mask Cinder making her move for the Maiden," Jaune said, growing more pained by the second. "Pyrrha asked me to come with her, and met Ozpin to transfer the power. But Cinder interrupted it."

The woebegone family were dead silent, on absolute tenterhooks, even if they seemed dubious to the whole affair.

"The full power went to Cinder… Ozpin made us run, but we barely made it back to the school grounds before we saw that she'd beaten him. She… _Pyrrha…"_

Gohan listened intently, watching the family doing the same. Nothing but pain sat in the faces of his new friends. Jaune finally seemed to muster the strength to continue.

"She turned on her heel, ready to chase after that _monster_ … I could see the determination in her eyes… the _resolve,_ and I… I tried to stop her. But I couldn't… she… she made certain I couldn't follow her. She wanted to _protect_ me… and so I wasn't able to protect _her…"_

"Oh my _god…_ " Otrera muttered, as she saw the story unfurling in her mind's eye.

Gohan watched as Ruby took a steadying breath, and stood up.

"Jaune… I'll take it from here."

Jaune blanched, as Ren and Nora looked at each other.

"Ruby… are you s—?" Jaune began.

"Yes!" Ruby said firmly, jamming her eyes shut. "This can only come from me…

"I'd just come back from helping the others fight off the attack. We knew Jaune and Pyrrha were missing, so I and the last member of my team in fighting shape went in to find them. That's when we got the call from Jaune about what Pyrrha had decided to do. I didn't know anything about magic or Maidens then, and to me, Cinder Fall was just a Haven student we knew. Jaune begged us to help…

"The fight started on top of Beacon's CCT Tower. We didn't see much but sparks from below, but it looked _furious_. We had to dodge debris as a massive Grimm smashed the top of the tower off."

Otrera and 'Silea gave the quietest of gasps, the matriarch herself clapping a hand over her mouth as she struggled to keep calm.

Ruby nodded. "We worried too, but it wasn't long before we saw signs of fighting start up again. With my friend's semblance, she helped me climb the tower as fast as I could. I don't know if I could have made a difference on my own… thinking back, if I'd showed up earlier, I probably wouldn't be here anymore…"

"I-I… I cleared the top… and landed, ready," she said, voice breaking. "And I'll never… _ever_ forget what I saw for the rest of my life… It's haunted my dreams everyday ever since..."

Gohan couldn't look away. Ruby seemed so strong inside, so kind… and it sounded like she had deserved to experience _none_ of this.

"I… I saw Pyrrha, on her knees… I th-think her leg was hurt…" Ruby continued, sparkling trails beginning to form under her eyes. "And _Cinder…_ standing over her with a bow, aimed at her… and I can never imagine what I saw in Pyrrha for that split second…

"She was just staring into Cinder's eyes… so calm… so unafraid… I never saw her _flinch_. It was like she'd accepted it, or invited it… or… like she already knew she couldn't win before it even started, but kn-kn-knew she had to _try…!_

In the family was a mix of responses as her story neared its conclusion. Peleus couldn't bear to look at her. Otrera couldn't look away, breath sharpening. 'Silea's lips were pressed firmly together, and her eyes were welling.

"Looking back, it felt like forever, but at the time I _barely_ took in what was happening, before she let the arrow fly… Pyrrha… it… it struck her in the _heart_ … and she just… just sat there, in shock, until the light left her e-e-eyes…!"

Otrera seemed to collapse in slow motion, clawed hands steadily reaching up to hide her face as she silently shook.

" _I'm so sorry…!"_ she squeaked, "But that's not the end of it… because that _just wasn't enough for Cinder…!"_ she said, staring at the floor, voice shaking with anger underneath her grief. "She… _passed_ , as Cinder caught her head when she went slack… and there was this _flash,_ and she… she turned fiery orange from head to toe.

"I didn't understand what I was looking at…" Ruby sniffed, drops building up behind her eyelids before every breath staggered as she relented and it all came falling free. "But t-then the wind blew up, a-a-and _she just flew apart like a d-d-dandelion…! … A-a-and there was n-n-no-thi-ing le-e-eft…!"_

Ruby seemed to sulk as she tried to hold back the flood, like she might fall over. There was a screeching of table legs against the floor as Gohan and nearly all of RNJR stood up, but Jaune managed to reach her first, arm around her back even as Gohan exerted superhuman speed to reach her side.

"Ruby, it's okay, y-you don't have to—" Jaune began, but Ruby sat back down, shrugging him off.

" _NO!_ No… I-I… I'm not finished!" she told him.

"How did you s-s-suri-ive?" Otrera asked quietly, her tone low.

"Th-That's what—" Ruby began to explain.

" _Why is it,"_ Otrera said, brown eyes boring, _"that my little gauss girl,_ my… _glorious sunrise is g-g-GONE, but you sit safely in my home?! What saved YOU?!"_

Ruby sat in momentary terror, before 'Silea and Peleus chimed in.

" 'Trera, please…"

"Mom…!"

"No…" Ruby said, "N-no, it's okay… Like I said, if I'd showed up in time, I-I-I probably wouldn't have mattered… I can't know, b-but… When I saw it… something in me just shook loose with the _pain_ …

"My Uncle explained to me… that I have Silver Eyes, like my mother… and supposedly, they're the eyes of the greatest warriors. I don't remember what happened, but when I woke up days later, they tell me I did something… my eyes… I drove her off someho—"

" _Enough…!"_ Otrera hissed, slowly standing. _"I won't have another WORD of this…"_

She stalked off inside, to where none of them knew, leaving an awful silence in its wake. Now able to reach, Gohan leaned in to Ruby, who gave him a terribly false smile.

"The silver eyed warriors," 'Silea said at last. "I… I've heard of that before… Your eyes really _are_ silv— "

She stopped as Otrera marched back outside, one hand fiddling with her short hair as she clutched a framed photograph in the other. She found another chair adjacent to the table and sat in it. It was a small eternity before she finally spoke. "You come here and _mock_ our pain… with this cock and bull _hogwash_ about Grimm masters… and… and fairy stories… and embellish yourselves as some kind of saviors to succeed where _she_ failed…! _What kind of fools do you think we are?!"_

"I understand if it's difficult to believe," Ren offered calmly, "especially without any solid evidence to corroborate it—"

Ren paused, he, Nora and Jaune glancing momentarily over at Gohan in turn, their expressions softening.

"But it's the _truth!"_ Nora insisted, picking up the slack."Every word, even…" She found Gohan's eye and lightly smiled. "Even if it's _really_ fantastical, and strange… but—"

Jaune cut across her, unable to hold his tongue. "We wouldn't have come all this way, faced the things we have, just to _mess_ with—"

" _Get out…"_ Otrera said, barely a whisper.

Everyone strained to hear her, but she took it badly. _"GET OUT OF OUR HOME!"_ she shrieked, everyone present recoiling as though slapped.

Peleus stood up, in pained shock. _"Otrera Hippolyta Nikos,_ _CALM yourself!_ Are you so ungrateful? The… These kids only came here to give us _closure!"_

" _I don't WANT 'closure!' "_ she sobbed. _"I want my daughter back…!"_

Peleus gave a single nod, before catching RNJR's collective eyes and motioning for the door.

Thunderstruck, there was a mass exodus as they all headed for the door, following Peleus through the small house back to the front and out on the front porch. "Please, I'll be but a moment," Peleus told them, closing the door as he raced back inside.

As they stood awkwardly, Ren tried to offer comfort in his own way. "We did what was necessary. What was taken from our message, it was never ours to decide."

Nora leaned against the wall, seemingly examining her shoes. "It still _sucks_ …" she concluded.

Several of them nodded, before the light of the inside overtook them as the door opened once more. They watched as Peleus stepped outside, closing the door after 'Silea who followed meekly. "I'm sorry about her," Peleus told them. "It's… it's been a long year, for all of us, and… well, you could say 'Trera was always P-Pyrrha's 'biggest fan'.

"It'll take her a long time to realize it, but... we're all _so_ grateful you've finally given us the answer."

Jaune stepped forward. "Sir… I… I'm sorry I couldn't save her. She… made me everything I am right now! And… and I won't rest until Cinder's been _stopped!"_

Jaune unbuckled Crocea Mors and unstrapped his armor to reveal a cereal mascot on his jacket, digging into his pack as well, coming up with a tarnished gold tiara. He kneeled down and presented the items.

"Ruby's uncle was the only one to make it to the top of Beacon Tower. This was the piece she was wearing when… Th-the rest was recovered from her weapon locker once they got Amity Coliseum back under control. Extras… we used them to reforge my sword and armor… you should have these."

His friends started, Ruby in particular ready to protest, but holding her tongue before the aggrieved father reached forward for the tiara, his eyes inscrutable. He put a hand on Jaune's shoulder.

"This'll do fine son. You've a promise to make good on with those. She'd have wanted you to keep them."

Jaune looked up, surprised. "Sir?"

"Jaune Arc…" he said, looking at the twilight stars. "She's mentioned you to us, in calls home. Her words were always understated, but her eyes always gave her away… and she was over the _moon_ about you, I think you should know."

Jaune gave a quiet, rickety sigh as a drop rolled down his face. _"I do…"_

* * *

The group, father and daughter hiked up to the same hill from the young Pyrrha's photograph. It wasn't terribly far, but as with the girl who scaled it, it was tougher than it seemed to conquer. In short order, candles and modest flowers were arranged and lit upon a stout, weathered stone jutting from the ground. The Huntsmen aided Peleus with inscribing unfamiliar, but obvious letters into it.

" _Πψρρηα Νικοσ"_

Afterward, they held a simple vigil. It was a beautiful night.

"I was always kind of jealous of my sister," 'Silea admitted. "She was extraordinary, and… I'm just _me._ Dad was always even handed, but Mom always gave Pyrrha more attention. I don't think she meant it, and it's not like she didn't deserve it… it was just hard living under her shadow… And then _this_ happened…

"For a long time, I was worried I'd never see my sister again… because she was a _killer_. _"_ 'Silea explained, not happy, but warm. "Now… I know I'll never see my sister again… _because she was a HERO…_ A-and that… I can live with that…"

Ruby nodded. "Pyrrha… she changed _all_ of us. In life, and in… well, she was a friend I'll never forget…"

Nora nudged 'Silea. "Hope you don't mind me saying it… but she was like a sister to me, back at Beacon. Don't know what that makes us then."

'Silea laughed quietly, offering a modest fist-bump, which Nora accepted without question.

"And Gohan?" Nora added, getting the kid's attention. "I'm… sorry we didn't give you a chance."

Jaune nodded. "Yeah, our story is pretty incredible too… so, we don't _really_ have a right to dismiss yours."

Gohan smiled softly. "It's alright. I just hope I can help you guys too, after hearing all that _you've_ been through. I'd like to see this 'Cinder' taken dow—"

He caught Ruby's eye. "I'd like to see her stopped, before she hurts anyone else."

Ruby giggled. "We should get going… Uncle Qrow is probably gonna get discharged from that hospital soon."

"Thank you," Peleus said, hand around his surviving daughter's back, "for all you've done for us."

Jaune stepped forward, his face laden with stone-seriousness. "Just don't let it be for nothing… Bad, _bad_ people are planning an attack on Haven, and they just _don't care_ who gets caught in the crossfire.

" _Please,_ consider leaving town, at _least_ for a while. I… I couldn't forgive myself if I let something happen to her family."

Peleus nodded, glancing between the ground, the sky, and the newly christened stone. "I'll see what I can manage."

Jaune nodded, satisfied, watching the stars as he and the rest of the team slowly began to head off into the night.

"Oh…" Gohan said, stopping. "One sec!"

He ran back over to the impromptu headstone, Ruby chasing after to see what he was doing. He extended a finger, and as they watched, a small golden sphere sprouted from it, pulsating with a shimmering noise.

Before they could ponder what he was doing, a thin laser-like beam shot out from the sphere, tracing over the foreign characters, leaving red hot trails in its wake.

Finally, he finished, catching Ruby's eye as he walked back to meet the rest of the team. She inspected the cooling stone, Peleus and 'Silea staring at the boy's back in stunned silence. The lettering which before had been surface-level scratches now looked like a commissioned engraving, imprecise as it was.

 _Was there anything this boy couldn't do…?_

* * *

 _ **A/N: Heya folks!**_

 _ **Sorry to have kept you all waiting so long. My new job pretty brutally slashed my free time, and while I try picking away at it day by day, you do occasionally run into sections that are just like pulling teeth, writing.**_

 _ **So yeah… I never felt like the cast as a whole really confronted the loss of Pyrrha head-on, so this chapter is to sorta reaffirm their goals while giving Gohan a glimpse into the stakes.**_

 _ **I hate Gohan being in scenes where he is basically just watching things unfold, but I feel like he shouldn't interfere unless it's appropriate. I can't wait to break free of the canon entirely here and just let the chips fall as they will, but we SHALL be forced to retread some territory that a Z character won't change by having been present…**_

 _ **However, THIS version of Volume 5's events are so accelerated that I THINK we'll be free and clear before Chapters Nine or Ten.**_

 _ **No Yang or Krillmaster this time around, but they do get a scene NEXT time, though sadly no Blake and Bulma. CH5 will hopefully make up for things by being a whopping 14K words, and 6 is going to have a LOT of Blake and Yang story, so fret not.**_

 _ **Also… I LOVE writing Gohan and Ruby scenes. No shipping obviously, but XMan struck gold in bringing them together, and even with Ruby just dealing with Gohan the child, I can't help making their interactions ADORABLE. No spoilers, but those two really are the HEART of this story where I'm concerned. As brutal as I'll be with Frieza —and make no mistake, I'm NOT pulling punches with him— I do also want to be heartfelt when it makes sense to. ALL MY FEELINGS! ALL OF THEM!**_

 _ **Speaking of Frieza, you might notice he's yet to be the focus of any given chapter aside from the first.**_

 _ **I'm well aware of how popular his scenes are, and I ADORE writing him… but my aim is to be sparing, and use him effectively. Use anything great too often and it loses its specialness and the quality suffers. So temper your expectations for next time… as Frieza will NOT be featured in Chapter 5… but oh man… let's just say you guys are going to get all the Frieza you'll ever want in due time...**_


	5. A Lukewarm Welcome

Weiss stood in complete darkness, focusing inward… and focusing _outward._ She slowly wandered, letting the hum of engines and muted roar of ferocious winds fall into the distance. She took a steadying breath… and struck.

A metallic tap sounded as Myrtenaster's flat edge contacted what must have been the fuselage.

"Drat…" she sighed, still not removing the blindfold fastened over her head, made from a piece of her spare change of clothes.

"Stop _guessing!"_ Vegeta's voice called out from the other side of the hold. "I'll tell you this right now; sensing energy is an all or nothing affair. At times focusing to make out one power among many requires intense concentration, but there's nothing subtle about it."

"Then…" she started, turning toward his voice, "how can we know nothing about it? You said yourself, we've been using Shou-ki for a long time, if what you say about Aura is correct."

Vegeta approached slowly. "And I've been able to use all three parts of ki since I was a child, but my entire race was ignorant to this technique. And to my knowledge, the strongest being in this Universe missed it as well."

Weiss froze a moment, before ripping the blindfold off and fixing the Prince with an icy stare. "Well hold on! If this technique is so advanced and rare, why are you teaching me this before I can even recognize my _own_ power?!

"I wasn't planning to question your methods. I'm not stupid, I _know_ this isn't going to come naturally, or every Huntsman on Remnant would have done it by now. But something _you've_ barely even managed?"

He stood before her. "Progress always comes the swiftest when you've truly _pushed_ yourself. Sink or swim! To advance beyond your station, you need to aim as high as possible! Your gains will _never_ be as great as your goals in the short term, but they'll rise far higher _for_ them."

Weiss let her limbs go slack. "But you expect me to pull this off without even the _basics?"_

"No, I don't," he admitted. "But sometimes natural fighters can take to new skills with shocking speed, and only need to be presented the right pressure or circumstances to excel."

She wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not, but she wasn't about to fish for praise…

"What I _do_ expect is for you to push back as hard if not _harder_ than I am pushing _you."_

She flourished her blade. "Of course."

"Hmm," he intoned. "Easy enough to say… Blindfold back on."

She obeyed, wrapping the fabric across her eyes.

"The truth is you should already _know_ the 'basics.' Your only problem is you're trying to perceive and use yuu-ki with your _mind_. That's why your kind have used it so exclusively.

"It's understandable, and it's all you know, but you need to learn to let your _body_ think and act for itself as well."

"My body doesn't _do_ any thinking," Weiss said irritation in her tone. "Thoughts are had in the mind, which resides in the brain, which tells the body what to do through the nervous system."

Vegeta smiled, eyebrows rising. "Oh!" he cried with mock appreciation. "Look who knows so much! It's like we were talking about physiology, and not _spirit_ energies unbound by material constraints!"

Weiss couldn't see him, but his tone was plain, and his point was clear. "I… yes… right."

She heard a strange rushing sound, and tipped forward as she felt his back suddenly against hers.

"Can you guess how fast I just moved?" he asked her. "The numbers don't matter, but for me to sense quickly enough how to move and stop with _this_ accuracy, I need senses _far_ faster than your _nervous system_ can provide at mere lightspeed."

She considered the physical implications of what he just said, and a very grounded part of her rankled at it on a fundamental level.

"No… we _forgo_ physical bonds, and send senses and commands with our living energy alone. My senses, my speed, my strength… wholly undetermined by flesh and bone, instead allowed to soar as high as my power!"

Weiss tried to comprehend it. Controlling her body with energy, unshackling her from its limits…

"So… there's things I just don't understand," Weiss began, striking while the iron was hot.

Vegeta smirked. "Heh… so what else is new?"

"Ha ha…" she droned. "I mean about this ki business…"

He tilted his head. "I suppose we were otherwise occupied? I've been trying to teach you all day."

She shook her head. "No, I mean like… _shou-ki:_ you said it was mental power and that yuu-ki was body power…"

"That's an impressively reductive and inaccurate way to describe it," Vegeta said, smirking, "but don't let _me_ interfere with your ignorance…"

Weiss took a loud, calming breath "Okay, so you can argue that having semblances and energy barriers can be classified as a mind ability… _My_ semblance can be considered a mental projection. As can others like Glynda, who can move objects with her mind or put them back together…"

Vegeta watched as she paused, using an urging motion with his hand. "Keep going, I need to see how deep this rabbit hole of misunderstanding goes…"

"But then there are powerful _brawlers_ like Yang… or others who rely almost _entirely_ on _brawn,_ or skill with a weapon… and _believe_ _me_ , they're not exactly meditating on inner peace or the _triality_ of spirit energy."

He shook his head. "You're letting your preconceptions cloud your understanding. Shou-ki is the energy of the mind _and the true self_. The powers that stem from it _aren't_ limited to psychokinetic ability, nor are they truly defined by them."

Weiss' eyes widened at the notion. Even when she _knew_ to minimize her assumptions, she was finding herself taking details for granted...

"True, such powers _coupled_ with a mastery of Shou-ki are exceptionally potent," he conceded, "I'm willing to bet those of your race fitting the description are among the most powerful as a result. So while I'm certain mental fortitude helps, the reason I say your kind have taken to Shou-ki is because the greatest among you intimately know your true-selves."

Weiss mentally took a step back. "Wait, how do you know that?"

"I ran into a few of your fellows before, and their styles weren't comparable at all. Didn't take long to figure out what was happening. You learn and forge your own unique identities," he continued, "to the extent that I doubt any of your best _Huntsmen_ are alike. Your kind champion style and technique. You take to it almost without _needing_ to think about it. You _know_ yourselves, and _that_ is where the mind comes into play; honing and exercising your latent abilities, _they_ change as _you_ change. Sound about right?"

She had to concede the point. "But why should training _one_ branch of ki make us as strong as you're saying? Shouldn't _just_ that part of ki grow?"

Vegeta shook his head. "Ki has three aspects, but it is still _one_ thing. Think of it like working a set of muscles. Certain training can put the focus on a single muscle, certainly, but _every_ muscle involved in those movements still strengthen as a result. You _can't_ affect one without the others following, and yuu-ki easily gains faster than the others."

A satisfactory answer only prompted more questions.

"I just don't understand how _everyone else_ in the Universe gets it, but _we_ don't… the fighters you talk about _all_ use yuu-ki and—"

"And they're easily among the greatest warriors in the Universe. Ha! I mock the weak, certainly, but only because they number so many! _Thousands_ of worlds, and of them maybe a _handful_ of any given species can wield the power we've discussed. For some species it's natural, freaks of the cosmos like the Saiyans, or the Namekians for their potential being awoken so they can defend their precious treasures. Frieza commands the greatest army in the galaxy, full of the greatest fighters the bastard could drum up, yet those that could easily brush off the power I sense in _you_ number so small they could have comfortably all stood in this one room and _still_ had space to do jumping jacks!"

Weiss had nothing to say. Just by fortune or inevitability, her people unknowingly reached the upper echelon of power in the Universe! They just didn't know how to use it...

"Do you really think I'd bother with you at all if you and your kind were all cosmic cannon fodder?!" he finished, as she realized she'd just received the most indirect praise she'd have ever heard… if not for how long she'd spent learning from Winter.

She sighed. "Alright, let's give it another go."

"Wait," Vegeta said suddenly. "There's something wrong here."

She lifted the blindfold to find him staring out the windows at—

For a split second she flinched, fearing the ship was about to be pelted with huge chunks of rubble, until she realized they were passing _enormous_ islands of moss-ridden earth floating in the night sky. The trees dotting some of the islands gave a sense of scale, and most were _easily_ large enough to host entire buildings. And jutting from all of them were blocky shards of black crystal shimmering in the moonlight.

"Hey!" Weiss called to the pilot. "What's happening?!"

They heard the intercom wail before he answered. _"Avoiding the check station, so we're over Lake Matsu. Less traveled path, and… yeah, this is why. Floating islands are full of natural gravity dust. It's a gamble, but it messes with patrol sensors. We're basically undetectable in here, especially in the dark."_

"Fool," Vegeta grumbled. "It's like flying through a damn asteroid field."

" _I heard that,"_ the pilot bristled. _"Maybe for a lesser pilot you'd be right, but this ain't my first time through. Just have to take it wide and not get too close to the ones with lots of cracks, caves… y'know, places to hide. Some nasty Grimm live in these things."_

Vegeta turned to her. "So I heard the word 'dust.' I suppose that's meant to have meaning for me?"

"Well you're asking _exactly_ the right person," Weiss said with resignation. "The Schnee Dust Company is the biggest name in dust mining, processing and proliferation on Remnant. Dust is elemental energy in crystal form. It has its own power, but it's also amplified by aura."

"Elemental? How so?"

"Like… the _elements_ ," she said with a shrug. "Wind, fire, water, earth, _gravity,_ as previously discussed. Subdivisions like steam or ice—"

"Alright, I get the picture," he growled. "So nothing we need be concerned—?

"Ah, crap!" the pilot moaned, as the sound of distant craft approached. "Mistral Air Patrol, this is gonna be _really_ hard to explai— w-wait, are those ships damaged?"

There was a burst of noise as one of the bay windows glowed brightly. One of the isles in the airborne atoll suddenly began a violent spin, slowly lurching towards others. A crunch of stone and wood followed as the islands slowly collided and ground against each other.

Weiss barely spared Vegeta a look before zipping over and ascending the ladder beneath the cockpit. Watching her a moment, he grunted before floating up to the catwalk, meeting her as she reached the top through the back entrance to the cockpit.

"Opening comm channels," the pilot reported, flipping switches, "I wanted to run silent, but whatever! One of those ships crashed."

There was a burst of signal static, before—

"— just lost our wingman! We're broadcasting a mayday on all frequencies! Pursuit of suspect stirred up lancers! We can't shake them!"

"There they are!" Weiss cried, pointing into the distance.

Indeed, a ship bearing the Mistral emblem was flying towards them at full speed, smaller buzzing shapes trailing behind it.

In moments the scene came into focus for them, the 'lancers' proving to be huge Grimm wasps, swarming after the vessel. Mandibles that could rend steel or decapitate a human being in equal measure clicked angrily as bony stingers fired into the hull of the patrol ship, harpoons held fast to their bodies.

The beasts stopped as one, the voice on the radio continuing to shriek until the lancer's lines went taut. The lancers dragged along a short distance, but the deceleration on the ship was too great. The voice went silent all at once as an explosion popped within the craft, its front end split in a ragged tear down to the keel.

The hooked Grimm released their lines as the ship plummeted, front end in a vertical jackknife by the time it smashed into the waters below, sharding into pieces as if against stone.

"We need to get down there!" Weiss cried, "There could have been survivors!"

"In that?!" the pilot said, steering violently away from the scene. "By the time we got down there the lancers will have finished them off, and this crate ain't armed!"

"You call yourself a smuggler?" Vegeta muttered.

"I _prefer_ to call myself an 'asset-fluid rum-runner'…"

She held her tongue, aching at the notion of feeling so powerless. But soon, all was interrupted by a series of bleeps, indicating new signals at the south-end of the ship's sensors.

"No no no _no!"_ the pilot groaned. "Of _course_ I inherit those idiots' problems! We've got incoming on our six!"

"Then we'll do something about it," Weiss said, fire in her eyes.

"Hey, you miss what I _just_ said?! I've got no guns on this thing! Got the permits, but it increases 'random' inspections twice over!"

"You've got better than guns," she told him, marching past Vegeta to the catwalk. "You have a _Huntress."_

She leapt off into the bay, touching down and approaching the crates. "I recognized these crates immediately, so don't try working me over; this ship is full of dust, right?"

" _What can I say,"_ the pilot said over the intercom, _"if contraband is liquor, then dust is blue-label right now."_

Without another word she popped a crate open and began loading Myrtenaster's revolver. She heard Vegeta set down next to her as the cargo doors began to open.

"I'd tell you to use the blindfold, but it's pointless," he told Weiss, staring past her curiously. "Whatever these Grimm of yours are, they're empty vessels. Can't sense their energy at all.

"Deal with them how you will… I can at least see your technique."

She leapt in front of the freight, rooting herself in front of the bay doors, both in stance and with a black glyph. Vegeta walked to the bay door release and hit it with the side of his fist.

The wind whipped as pale light flooded the interior, and the doors barely cleared visibility when a barbed bony spear soared through.

She wove left with a shout, blade whipping as she cleft it in twain while it passed, pointed end bouncing chaotically. A glyph held the stub of the stinger in place as she lined up for a shot.

The defanged lancer sought retaliation by charging her directly. She switched to ice dust and thrusted forward, the creature's jaws chittering before it was frozen stiff and fell like a stone behind its fellows.

With an arc of her blade, five miniature glyphs formed around her, following into a spin and thrust that set them as streaking projectiles.

They struck true, knocking three of them out of the sky, clipping one's wings and blasting legs off the last. It was barely a dent in the swarm, but progress was progress.

"So these 'Grimm' are terribly aggressive," Vegeta commented as she switched to fire dust. "You say they're a threat to your very species? It's strange, animals aren't generally this persistent…"

She swept Myrtenaster, sending a wave of flames out and incinerating the next lancers that got too close, illuminating the dark islands. "Well yeah," she said, readying lightning dust, "the Grimm exclusively attack humanity and its creations."

She gave a lunge with her blade, and a single golden jolt shot forward to collide with and fry a lancer, the arcs chaining with a half dozen others which burst and evaporated. More than the fight itself, the light of her own attacks was spoiling her limited night vision as her eyes fought to adjust.

" _I'm gonna try and lose them between the rocks!"_ the pilot reported, as their room to maneuver grew ever tighter.

A group of lancers fired their harpoon-like stingers at once, but she was ready with the air cylinder. A veritable gale swept from her sword, blasting the stingers back and staggering their owners who fought against the current. A few stingers embedded into the nearby islands, tethering the lancers connected to them. One pair's organic cables managed to tangle around each other, one pinned to an island as the other fought to escape, jaws working in anger. The living clothesline caught a few of its fellows bringing up the rear, shearing wings off as they dropped helplessly.

There was a rumble as rocks clattered down from the islands, merely scraping the ship itself, but a number of their insectoid entourage vanished on impact.

"Tch… nevermind," Vegeta muttered. "This can barely even be _classified_ as combat."

The comment drew Weiss' attention, and she knew it was a mistake to glance, but she still barely pirouetted away from the harpoon stinger as it slammed into one of the containers.

She gasped, amazed as various types of dust types seeped out that the container hadn't already blown them all to pieces. She vaulted to the other side of the crate, blade whirling as she snipped it's load straps and formed a red glyph behind it. The crate was launched out among the swarm, and she sent a single glyph projectile after it as it detonated like a mine, blasting and buffeting the surrounding Grimm. An overhanging arch of stone cracked with the stress, and in moments the conjoined islands split as stone and dirt fell, overtaking their view entirely.

" _What in the name a—?!"_ the pilot shouted. _"What WAS that?!"_

Weiss peered into the black fog of dirt. "So… that freight we weren't supposed to touch?"

He sighed. _"How much?"_

"About a pallet's worth!"

" _Y-y'know what, whatever, WHATEVER!"_ he said. _"Acceptable losses…! All that crap on the radar is messing with us, but… I think that's the last of them!"_

"Hm… Famous last words," Vegeta muttered.

There was but a moment to breathe before something a third the ship's size charged out of the filthy smoke, eyes burning like embers in the gloom.

Weiss went cold. "A _queen…!_ _HEY, don't slow down, we picked up a QUEEN!"_

" _Awww, hell on STILTS!"_ he cried. " _HANG ON!"_

But his evasive dive was cut short by a massive stinger impacting the far wall of the cargo bay.

"TOO LATE!" she shouted. "WE'RE _HOOKED!"_

Vegeta watched her in confusion as the line went taut, the ship's engines whining as they dragged the giant Grimm, which had begun flinging thorny spines at them in a shower.

Weiss twirled before giving a swipe of her sword. Behind the ship, a huge black glyph bloomed, the spines stopping hard against it as she strained to keep it up.

"Why not just cut the line?" Vegeta suggested.

"N-no…!" she groaned. "I want it _right_ here…! I just have to…"

One hand extended to the glyph, she knelt as she ran Myrtenaster's tip into the floor. A second, large white glyph began to spin and phase even as they queen lancer dragged itself closer and closer like they were a trout on a lure.

" _Kid, the engines can't take much more!"_

At last there was a rumble throughout the ship as the black glyph vanished, and in its place the queen had latched bodily onto the ship, jaws reaching into the bay at her.

She wove left and right from the deadly mandibles, still clutching her mounted blade as a phantom slowly rose from it.

The monster finally lunged dead-center, but time was on her side. She lifted the blade at last and gave a vertical slash to the thing's face and making it recoil angrily.

But before it could properly retaliate, a huge gleaming blade raked across its armoured head as the Arma Gigas stormed forward. Staggered, the queen retreated a few dozen feet, and nowhere near far enough.

The shining knight leapt from the cargo hold at a running start, blade whirling as it snipped the monster's wings off, grabbing and stabbing it repeatedly as both titans fell from view, the queen lancer's line rapidly losing slack.

Not missing a beat, Weiss raised Myrtenaster over her head with both hands and hacked the line off, falling to her knees in relief and letting her blade clatter upon the grating as both ends of the line molted into smoke.

Weiss panted, sweating as Vegeta approached.

" _Um… so, we're in the clear this time? Hello?"_ came the pilot's voice, entirely unheeded.

"Hard to evaluate your skills on that," he told her, "but I'll not deny your abilities are versatile if nothing else. I can't speak to their effectiveness in a _real_ fight, but—"

" _Urgh…"_ she groaned. " ' _Real_ fight'... why… why don't you just go _fly a kite…"_

He rolled his eyes as she chuckled softly, but soon refocused as something entered his vision.

Weiss only got a split moment's warning before Vegeta all but kicked her away. She rolled to glimpse a bony harpoon deflected into the ceiling by nothing but his hand. She looked out to see it: _a second queen_. _And it had nearly ran her through!_

"Enough of this _trash!"_ he bellowed, hand forward as a golden sphere shined over his palm.

She watched as the blast shot out, catching the new queen bodily and sending it hurtling into one of the islands as chaotic shadows filtered through. What happened next, nobody expected.

The initial burst of light was evident as rock showered out, but what soon followed was a sort of _implosion,_ the modest golden glow quickly replaced by a purple one, and the very air around them seemed to change.

Weiss noted a sensation of nausea, and her necklace lifting up her very neck… and then all hell broke loose.

There was a hiss of rushing air as some force tugged at her, ever more insistently bidding her out the back of the ship. The islands scattered rays of mulberry light as the nearest to the phenomenon drifted towards it faster and faster. In moments the islands seemed to fall readily, loudly crunching together, smaller pieces in orbit as if the light marked the center of a black hole.

" _What is that?!"_ the pilot demanded as the engines whined. _"My instruments…! What in God's name IS THAT?!"_

Weiss began to realize the wind tugging at her wasn't merely wind, as even the water beneath the maelstrom was reaching up to meet it, a massive blue bulge stretching as if some colossal beast from an old monster movie were rising from the waves. The very clouds were being stripped from the sky.

And slowly Weiss felt like the ship was tilting back as she tried to stand against the force. She found Vegeta's surprised eyes as she slammed Myrtenaster's tip into the floor, even as her feet dangled horizontally towards the violet storm.

"What are you waiting for?!" she demanded, shrieking over the noise. "Stop it!"

Vegeta stood unmoved, only watching with widened eyes. "This… this isn't _my_ doing! That blast wasn't meant to do that, this is something _else!"_

The force only seemed to get stronger as she felt her grip begin to fail her. The hill of blue was becoming a frothing mountain, more and more islands were being swept from the skies. She was even sure a fair few Lancers were being dragged towards their fate.

 _And she was next._

She would have reached a hand towards her impromptu partner if it wouldn't have sealed her doom. Instead, her eyes sought his in fear. "Vegeta, I'm slipping…! _Help!"_

He stood unmoved, only sneering. "If something like this can defeat you, then you're not worthy of my time, let alone my teaching! Save _yourself!"_

Her eyes flashed with fear, but she took a breath. In but a second, she made the decision and let one of her hands reach low. She slipped… and fell upon a great white glyph platform within the bay doors.

Blade still out of reach, she had only her own power to rely upon. She didn't generally sustain these glyphs for so long, but as she stood against the intense sideways gravity, she knew she had no choice. Her aura was being tested to its limit, and yet she wasn't done. The ship was steadily losing ground, about to pitch back and —at _minimum_ — crash into the deep.

She reached out her other hand in a swirling gesture, teeth bared as a great red glyph formed around the entire ship. Outside the chaos was reaching its peak, the light growing ever brighter.

She let out a war cry as the red glyph activated, launching the entire ship forward, even as the G-forces made her head spin. Moments after, the mauve light became a second Sun, the force dispelling as stone blasted out in arcs to the water. The swelling bulge of water itself dropped back into the deep, a fifty-foot wave expanding out in all directions in a ripple to shred the shoreline and drench the surrounding forest beyond.

A few more rickety moments, and it was over, a sound like thunder echoing out into the air as the madness ceased and Weiss fell in a heap upon the steel, even as the bay doors ground to a close.

" _I… I think that's it! We're home free!"_ the Pilot declared gleefully. _"Kid, I don't care what your age is, we land in Mistral I WILL contribute to your delinquency!"_

Both ignored him, even as Weiss struggled to sit up.

"Never lower yourself to asking for help," Vegeta said, deathly serious. "I've _killed_ Saiyans for betraying such weakness! At the end of the day, if you can't rely on your own strength you're as good as dead!"

Weiss stared, fatigued and defiant. "But you've… _been_ on a team! You should already _know_ the benefits of having others to fall back on…"

"I _led_ a team," he corrected, not meeting her eyes. "But there was no question who I could rely on. They were merely underlings, and they worked for _me_. But their failure speaks for itself. We come into this world alone, and we'll live or die by our own strength, no one else's."

She closed her eyes, shaking her head as she stood shakily to retrieve her blade. "I once thought the leader was better than the team too… I had that _same_ attitude. But you know what I realized?"

He looked away, his own eyes closing. "Hmph."

She took it for a reply. "...I'm _tired_ of being alone."

With that, she ascended the ladder to the cockpit, as Vegeta returned to his favored corner.

"Feh! _Sentiment…"_

* * *

Gohan watched as the hospital doors opened, a slender man in a black, white and grey dress shirt and familiar red tattered cape staggering through, half supported by Ruby.

"Alright, alright, kiddo," his high gruff voice wheezed, "I've got it." He pushed gently away, stretching as he finally looked to the rest of Team RNJR. "So you pulled it off… for a while there I was worried. The while where I was still conscious and not caught in a fever dream, anyway."

A few of them chuckled, but Jaune motioned to the young half-Saiyan. "Well, we might have managed, but we actually had some help."

Qrow froze, his eyes hazy as he beheld the boy. "...Wait… how long was I out…?" He said, turning to Ruby. "So you n' Blondie…? Ugh… Tai's gonna murder me…"

Ruby and Jaune locked eyes for a moment, brows furrowed in contemplation before—

"What?! _No!"_ Ruby shouted, going puce before calming herself at Jaune's conflicted expression. "I mean, no, Jaune's nice, but—"

Qrow breathed a sigh of relief. "So 'Hammertime' and 'Pretty in Pink Sleeves' then?"

"He's nobody's kid!" Nora cried, ears reddening instantly.

"He sorta lent us a hand tackling that enormous Grimm," Ruby explained.

"Yeah, 'cause _a_ hand was all he needed apparently," Nora snarked.

Qrow sighed, a hand to his forehead, "Okay, totally lost… Where'd the kid come from and why are we babysitting?"

"Short version?" Ruby said, feeling sillier with every coming word. "We are… _inclined_ to believe… that he got separated from his family and friends… from another… planet."

There was an incredibly long pause before anyone said or did much of anything.

"Well…" Ren began, "from another planet they traveled to _from_ their _own_ planet in order to find a number of artifacts with powerful magical properties."

"Oh," Qrow said, voice stoic, "Well okay then, glad we're all on the same page…"

They watched him with concern as he seemed to check both his arms.

"Uh… Uncle Qrow… what are you doing?" Ruby asked.

"Checking to make sure the doc didn't leave an IV in my arm full a' something… because what you just said was insane," Qrow finished with mild annoyance evident on his face.

"Um… sir," Gohan began, "maybe I can—"

"Oh good, he's old enough to talk," Qrow said, before making steady strides for the door. "Look, we can discuss this later… and we _will_ discuss it later. But right now Lionheart's expecting us, and every moment we waste is another the enemy has over us."

* * *

They had to head through a tunnel carved into the mountain to reach the lifts to Haven itself. Ornate in red and gold paint, they were effectively grand balconies providing a stunning internal view of the ever-moving city, evidently designed to bring dozens if not a hundred people per trip if necessary. But with school between terms, they stood alone.

The shops and homes they visited overlooked the yet more crowded tiers below.

"So, gotten to know this place at all?" Qrow asked, leaning back against the guardrail. "Tip some scandalously public dancers? Get your purse stolen by someone looking you dead in the face?"

"I don't _have_ a purse," Ruby answered.

"I'll never _use_ a purse," Nora added in revulsion.

"I dunno, Coco's is pretty neat…" Ruby retorted.

"You're just saying that because it's a chaingun," Jaune said.

"Duh!" Ruby intoned. "Don't hate, _you_ know you want one."

He sighed. "Yeah, I kinda do…"

As the elevator began its ascent, Gohan's ears pricked. "Wait, a purse that turns into a weapon?"

Ruby's eyes lit up. "Yeah, it's completely and utterly _boss!_ I don't know how she got the compression so high, that takes _serious_ talent!"

" 'Compression?' " he asked, looking lost.

"Oh, just a fancy word for pairing down our weapons to be easier to carry, y'know, when we're not using them…"

"Cool!" Gohan exclaimed, before his brows fell. "Oh but… don't they still weigh the same?"

Jaune and Ruby shared a look.

"You… get used to it," Jaune explained.

"It's more about being compact anyway," Ruby added. "Getting used to the weight just makes you stronger."

"Oh!" Gohan cried, "Mister Piccolo does something like that! He's got these weighted clothes. And my dad got _crazy_ strong after training a few days at fifty-times gravity!"

Qrow scoffed. "Sure, and I broke the moon with two pitchers of scotch and my bare damn hands…"

"Mister Piccolo blew up _our_ moon…" Gohan told him as he stared up at Remnant's, prompting the Huntsman to roll his eyes.

"Sheesh, where'd you _find_ this kid?"

"Fifty- _times_ gravity?" Ruby repeated, imagination running. "I think that'd make me like… _six-thousand pounds…"_

"Woo, lay off the cookies, Rubes!" Nora snarled, as Ruby stuck her tongue out at her.

"I had a shortsword for a little bit," Gohan shared, "I fight better with my hands though. I need them freed up. And I can't really do ranged…"

Ruby laughed. "That's why we mix in one of _these_ , silly!"

"Here it comes…" Qrow sighed. "Guess _this_ was inevitable."

Gohan wondered what he meant, before Ruby pulled out the small red tool she'd kept on her back, watching in wonder as it unfolded and extended into a heavy-headed rifle.

"Whoa!" Gohan cried appreciatively, leaning forward for a better look.

"Yep! This mode is dedicated range, more middle than long, packs more punch up close to compensate. Not great _too_ close though." Ruby explained, before every part of it rolled open, a central pole or barrel telescoping as the heavy stabilizing head of the rifle swiftly revealed a huge, curved pair of steely blades.

Recognition flashed in Gohan's eyes as he suddenly recalled briefly seeing the great arching form of the deadly-looking weapon, before the huge Grimm creature had attacked.

"This is kinda my preference though," she explained smiling as she let the spear-like butt of the scythe plant in the ground like an absurdly aggressive-looking flag holder. "Awesome up-close, decent at mid-range, hit _anything_ at long range. Just not as hard…"

Qrow shook his head with a smirk. "Really? It's _kinda_ your preference?"

"Okay, so I almost never use the rifle-mode…" she admitted.

"Don't mind her, kid," Qrow told Gohan, "she's always been like a dog with a bone where Crescent Rose is concerned. Since she finished it at Signal, every opportunity… walks past a crowd of students, trips and _'accidentally'_ that scythe pops out and scares the bejeezus out of everyone…"

Nora snickered. "Owe-emm- _gee_ , Ruby, did you actually?"

The caped crimsonette's cheeks pinkened as she gave a hoarse laugh. "Umm, I...well… y'know…" She cleared her throat as every syllable grew quieter.

" 'Crescent Rose…' " Gohan repeated. "That's a cool name! We have names for techniques, mostly."

"Techniques?" Ren repeated.

"Sure!" Gohan said, eyes alight. "Piccolo taught _me_ one called the _Masenko_ … he's got one called the _Makankosappo_ …"

"Makana… Macarena… wha…?" Ruby muttered, taking a stab at in utter bewilderment.

"He _and_ Krillin can split into more of themselves with the Multiform technique…"

"Like that Atlas guy at the Vytal tournament?" Jaune noted.

"Oh! And lots of people can do it, but my Dad is a _master_ of the _Kamehameha Wave!"_

"They start 'em young on delusions of grandeur these days," Qrow commented. "This some cartoon I've never heard of?"

"He literally walked up to an ancient, monstrous ArchGrimm that had been picking us apart and felled it with a single blow," Ren told him, matter of factly.

"I'm gonna have to just _not_ take your word for it until I see that for myself. For now, let's keep all this quiet."

"Keep _what_ quiet then?" a low, sophisticated voice issued above them, as the elevator neared the top.

They each looked up to see the source, staring down upon them. A tall, tan suited man with tiny eyes and a bristling mustache smiled, as the floor was finally made flush with the lift, revealing the clear open skies of Haven Academy itself.

Appreciating their long sought destination would have to wait, as the man stood impassive before them.

"You normally hover around, eavesdropping on other people's conversations, pal?" Qrow asked, before squinting suddenly. "Wait… you look vaguely familiar… Why?"

"Oh! My sincerest apologies… not eavesdropping, tensions have been rather high of late… but you're a friend Headmaster Lionheart! Certainly no cause to suspect trouble. Even if we've _all_ heard the inglorious tales!" he finished, humming with laughter.

They all looked to each other with vague concern, before he finally took a breath.

"Sorry, sorry, you had a question," he said. "Arthur Watts… I'm head of the Grimm Studies and the Special Weapons courses here at Haven. In the off-season, as they say, I fill in for Professor Feldspar as Deputy Headmaster, and I've been asked to greet you all! Though I admit to not expecting… _others…"_

Ruby _just_ caught Watts' eyes flashing over her in particular as he motioned them to follow and they all began following the path, but could scarcely think before her uncle spoke out.

"Yeah, I've heard of you," Qrow said, eyebrows raising. "You're that Atlesian crank who tried to make a boatload of SuperGrimm and got his whole lab division crossed-off… in about every sense of the phrase…"

Watts' face only betrayed a flash in his steely eyes, and a flaring of his nostrils. "I suppose that's the artful smear devised by the media… but I never sought to _create_ worse Grimm, only to observe the effects of certain unusual forms of stimuli. Not everything can be accounted for with an enemy we know so _shockingly_ little about, so the swift spiraling of the situation was a hard lesson for _all_ of us."

Qrow scoffed. "Hardly seems like you took anything from it, way you talk."

Watts gave his head a single shake, turning to face him as he walked backwards. "On the contrary! It offered great insight into the Grimm's cryptophysiology! Breakthroughs are never made by the timid. 'Taboo' is synonymous with trepidation, where I'm concerned. Science in Atlas wants for nothing, and _all_ knowledge is precious, regardless or _in light_ of the costs."

"Sure you told that to the widows," Qrow muttered. "So what are you doing _here?"_

Watts rolled his eyes. "Well, my expertise was no longer exactly welcome in Atlas. I was effectively _barred_ and discredited from the international community of sciences. Professor Lionheart was generous enough to grant me a position, where at least I can have a positive impact on our world."

"Huh…" Qrow intoned, noncommittal.

Ruby finally had a chance to look around. Haven's construction was far more centered around sheer heft than it was about grand towers and improbable spires. Vast lawns, everything decidedly rectangular, all to the tune of Mistral's general style. The Mistral lantern emblem was carved, flown and molded at every post and upon every roof.

But the one thing that _did_ tower above it all, just to their right, was… well… the Haven CCT tower. The second she'd seen. Inoperable due to Beacon… but wholly intact.

"So!" Watts began again, jovial and inquisitive, "You're keeping rather unusual company, Mister Branwen. They seem a touch young to be Huntsmen, _this_ one in particular."

None of them needed to look to know who he meant.

"Blood nephew," Qrow answered. "Got some family out here, kid always wanted to see Haven, so…"

"So it's a good thing children are not legally responsible for felonious behavior," Watts commented. "I'd make a different story, Mister Branwen. I know they're family, but association with roving bandits is unlikely to make you popular here… At least not in the manner you'd enjoy."

Qrow's eyes narrowed, but apart from that he said nothing.

"We were students from Beacon," Ruby explained helpfully.

"Well I do hope you've brought the requisite papers then, transcripts and proper identification, that sort of thing. Would be a shame to come so far and be barred entry," Watts told them.

"O-oh!" Ruby began, "we're n—"

"Not likely to make such a rookie mistake," Jaune interjected firmly. "As you've said, we've come a long way."

They approached a grand door, which Watts idly opened with a cavernous creak. "All the better. Without long-range communication, digital transfer is out," he said, as the building within proved largely to be a huge tiered hall, dominated by empty space. An ornate dual-spiral staircase met with a balcony, just over a marble statue depicting a long haired woman in flowing robes, seemingly holding up the staircase, clad in golden chains against a shining sun. "Security is at an all-time high, after it came to light that one of the teams representing Haven was a forgery, their records remotely inserted into the Haven archives. We've since stepped up to multiple forms of authentication, particularly in light of Vale's… _strongly worded_ concerns."

Gohan saw the members of RNJR look to each other, dark of countenance. They crossed the cavernous room, their footsteps conspicuous in volume, only drawing attention to the desolation.

"This place… _usually_ this crowded?" Qrow asked, looking to every door.

Watts chuckled. "We're between terms, sir. You expect the full staff to linger while planning the next, let alone the students?"

" _What…?"_ Qrow breathed, looking terribly confused.

"Well Beacon did that," Nora commented, eyes agleam with memory, "of course, our team either had no homes anyway, or were all the way back in Anima, soooooo…"

"We transfer the students to guest homes while renovating the campus between semesters, and let the faculty prepare lesson plans from the comfort of home," Watts said, as Ruby watched Qrow's expressions subtly sour with every word.

"U-um, so that statue is nice!" she added, pointing to the woman in gilded chains. "What's it for?"

The man's mustache twitched for a second as his eyes widened. _"For—?_ Oh!" Watts began, smiling again. "I see you've an eye for culture… among other things. This piece depicts the mythological figure, _'Fuku,'_ one of the two lovers, for which Mistral's twin mountains were named… though more likely vice versa. Her would-be mate, _'Sozo'_ has another piece set atop the other peak far behind us. The chains symbolize their bondage, desiring only to be together, but eternally bound to their respective spots, charged with holding the sky up, lest it were to fall.

"Of course, scholars are rather unanimous in the story itself being wholly symbolic of the twin mounts' importance to survival centuries ago, the cliffs and caverns serving as ideal defensible locations against the Grimm. Even their names translate to the founding principles of the Kingdom: Luck, and Imagination. Though, this didn't stop Haven's very construction being situated with respect to the story. _Literally_ bridging the two peaks, that the lovers might _finally_ be together."

He received a few stares, before Ruby finally spoke up. "Huh… you wouldn't know it, just looking…"

"Yes, there really should be a plaque," Watts opined. "I don't teach history, but curation of the little past we have is, I find, among the most essential—"

"Hate to cut this short, pal, but we're not exactly here for the tour," Qrow blurted, sparing his niece a glance. "I know where the office is, we can take it from here."

Watts gave a slow blink as he stood stock still, only waving his hand towards one of the lower doors nearest to the staircase. "Very well. Do pardon our dust, we _are_ in the midst of renovation, as I've said. Haven welcomes you."

"Right," Qrow said, before walking brusquely through the door.

Ruby alone lingered a moment as the rest of them followed. "Well, _I_ enjoyed hearing about it," she muttered in apology.

"As I said," Watts began with a nod, "you've… _potent_ tastes…"

He slowly strode away, breaking the light cast from the many windows as he went.

She returned to find the others following Qrow through the halls, past small, strange decorative water features and square-potted bamboo reeds. All very warmly lit against the wooden walls.

"So did that guy seem… I dunno… a tad _off_ to you?" Nora asked with little hesitation —and likely too much volume— to the others' shakey interest.

"Can't get a read on him," Qrow remarked. "Always puts me on edge, real or imagined…"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, it's weird… in some ways I feel like I can trust him… and also I _know_ I _can't_ trust him…"

"Staggering insight," Qrow replied as they approached a great oaken door. Turning his wrist around, he rapped against it with the knuckle of his index finger, and waited.

After several beats with no response, he flipped his wrist and gave a full, hard knock.

Silence.

"Damn… weapons ready…" he ordered, bringing out his own stubby steel, which cracked back to reveal a wide-set double-barrel before the blade telescoped out.

Gohan watched as Crescent Rose emerged in rifle form, Jaune bringing out his sword and shield, Ren pulling out a pair of jade machine pistols with proportionally absurd bayonet blades, as Nora brought up the rear with a grenade launcher.

Qrow held up a finger for them to hold, before holding up three fingers… two fingers… one.

The double doors burst open at Qrow's bidding, only making a single sharp sound as they stormed the room in seconds.

A large, warm office greeted them, empty but beautiful. Red, gold and woody brown filled out the room and its furnishings. A huge lacquered walnut desk held notes and an old-timey inkwell, and the room itself was adorned with tasteful nick nacks and tchotchkes everywhere.

Their weapons fanned the room, checking corners, as Gohan stood just outside the office, watching.

Gohan soon realized he must have been too relaxed, as a dignified voice to his left suddenly spoke. "My, well what are _you_ doing here little one?"

In unison the Huntsmen whirled their weapons back at the door and the voice. All watched as a man in white and tan robes with a great, grey mane of hair recoiled, pupils shrunk as he clutched his heart and staggered backwards in fright.

Gohan barely kept the man upright as he glanced between the might-be assassins until he found the one comfort in the room.

"Qrow, what the devil do you—? Who…?"

"Leo!" Qrow greeted, stowing his weapon as the others followed suit. "Alright, so that's better than I was expecting by now…"

"I'm not in my office, so you just swagger in armed to the gills?" The man asked, stepping amongst them, pulling out the chintzy-looking anachronism that was a gold pocket watch and looking to its time. "I'm not even _late!_ I thought Doctor Watts was escorting you…"

"Yeah, and before now he's the only soul we've even _seen_ here," Qrow fired back. "What's _that_ about, Leo? Students sent home, teachers on leave? Are we missing the entire point of keeping the relics here?!"

Lionheart froze, glancing between the young Huntsmen. _"Qrow…!"_

Qrow held up a hand. "It's fine Leo… this… well, it's not _quite_ Oz's hand-picked next generation, but they came of their own accord to help in the _real_ fight. They're tough, and let's face it… we need all the help we can get."

"It… it can't be helped, it seems," Lionheart began, "but after Beacon, did you really think I'd keep the staff and students in harm's way?! Especially when the vaults are effectively impenetrable?!"

Qrow advanced on the man as he made for his desk chair. "You know _damn well_ Salem's been Maiden-hunting, and if Beacon didn't have special measures we'd already be down one of the worst relics we could lose!"

"Wait! Hold on!" Ruby cried, stepping between them. "Firstly… Ruby Rose, nice to meet you… Qrow is my uncle."

" _Step_ -uncle," Ren offered, to Ruby's annoyance.

" _Honorary_ uncle," Qrow said, looking back to Lionheart. "She's my blood-niece's half-sister—"

" _Raven_ had a…?"

"Yeah, it's funny the things you might learn if you had ever checked in with—"

" _SECONDLY!"_ Ruby shouted, hands between the two, "What do the Maidens have to do with this? I know they're really really powerful, but—"

"Wait…" Lionheart said, brows furrowed, "I thought they knew? How much have they…?"

Qrow sighed, snatching his flask and taking a draft from it. "Look, I'd been shadowing them a while before one of Salem's gang reared up to try nabbing my niece."

Lionheart reached his seat at last, but then did a double-take. "They came for…?"

"Look her _in the eyes_ , Leo," Qrow told him.

He stared but a moment, before turning to get a better look at Ruby. His face paled, eyes softening. "Ruby… _Rose_... ," he whispered. "Silver eyes… My god… you're the _spitting image_ of—"

"Yeah, now you get why she's a target… One thing at a time, _please_ ," Qrow said. "Look, long story short, between driving that guy off and getting poisoned and dragged all the way here on a stretcher, there hasn't been a lot of time to fill the blanks, alright? Okay…"

Qrow stepped back, taking a deep breath. "So the vaults the relics are kept in have a special protection. Airtight. Even Salem can't beat it with brute force. The only thing that _can_ is the magic of the Maidens."

"Mmm," Lionheart nodded in agreement. "And only _one_ Maiden in particular, per vault."

"Spring for Knowledge," Qrow began, "Summer for Destruction, Fall for Choice and Winter for Creation. And given the current Spring has been in the wild, totally unknown for a _decade_ , you'd think the vanguard entrusted with the Relic of Knowledge might be _slightly more_ concerned!"

Lionheart's jaw dropped open, and Qrow glared, waiting pitiless for his rebuttal. Finally, the man slouched, guilt in his brown eyes. "I know… The door is practically open, the opportunity is there… I… I can't abide another Fall of Beacon, not here! I won't put an artifact of power ahead of the lives of my students, or teachers, or those of this city!"

Qrow shook his head slowly. "Leo… look, I get it, but—"

" _No, you don't!"_ he shouted, teeth bared. "In every kingdom we got our own blast of that tragedy! We witness the _horrid_ death of a student, hear that foreboding message and see naught but chaos and ruin before the feeds died! We lost entire villages to the _chill_ , the _dread_ that pierced the hearts of millions! The Grimm came in droves…

"And only feeding the flame the knowledge, the implicit understanding later that we'd experienced only the _echoes_ of Beacon's suffering. James is cloistering his entire continent. Gone paranoid, if you want my opinion… Dahlia's shared similar thoughts, and the Mistral Council has supported me in keeping everyone away from strategic terrorist targets."

"The Council is _always_ gonna put people before anything, but they don't have the full story!" Qrow said, voice seething. "But leaving a damn _RELIC_ unguarded?! You might as well pull the trigger on humanity. We save lives where we _can_ , but this is about the good of the _world!"_

"It's not our right to say who lives and who dies…" Lionheart said.

"In a perfect world, sure… but either _we_ choose… or _she_ does… and _she_ …? She votes we _all_ go."

Lionheart wiped a hand over his own face with a weary sigh.

"Sooooo, okay," Nora began, stepping into view. "Know what they're called, but what do the relics actually _do?"_

"Yeah," Jaune agreed, "what specifically makes uh… _Knowledge_ dangerous?"

Ren turned. "Are you _serious?_ The power to know whatever you want? Even your enemy's innermost thoughts?"

"Well _wait then!"_ Jaune began, growing agitated. "If they're _that_ powerful, why aren't _we_ using this _against_ Salem? We could figure out _everything_ they're up to!"

Qrow scoffed. "Now _hold on_ , firstly… the relic isn't _that_ nuts. Way I understand it, the Relic of Knowledge works a very specific way. These aren't just magic trinkets, they're _literally_ divinely made artifacts, and gods are pretty fickle about rules."

"How so?" Ruby asked.

"Really, Ruby?" Nora groaned. "You don't need to _prompt_ him… he's just gonna keep going anyway…"

"Okay, so it's not like a magic eight-ball," Qrow explained, "it doesn't just know everything. It's the Relic of _Knowledge._ Not the Relic of _Truth_. And _knowledge_ by definition must be _known_. Effectively it's used to share the collective wisdom of mankind. The facts known to all of humanity. If one person is keen on something the rest of us aren't, the relic can share it.

"Weirdly, I guess our godly benefactors felt a sense of fair play was called for here, because what the relic considers knowledge largely keeps out of personal matters. It won't tell you where a person is, or what they're doing, or what their heart's most desperate desire is."

Jaune stared at the floor in frustration, before turning to pace slowly.

"Even if, it wouldn't have worked on Salem. She ain't human…" Qrow said ominously, downing another swig. "The others are a bit more straightforward, mostly. Creation lets you construct anything. _Literally_ anything, provided you have the raw materials, and you _understand_ what you're making, intimately. If you wanted to make a car and had a bunch of plastic, carbon and steel, but couldn't put one together yourself, you'd probably just end up with a bunch of stuff that just _looks_ like a car, and can't move.

"Destruction is pretty straightforward. You want something gone, then it's _gone_. Not dead, not exploded, not reduced to dust. It's just _gone_. And Choice… Choice is a _really_ bad one. Imperfect, but subtle influence over anyone you want."

Nora eyes flew open. "Wait, like… _mind control?!"_

Lionheart scoffed quietly. "Children…"

"No, not that blatant," Qrow elaborated. "It's not absolute… it just plants ideas in people's heads. It's _subtle._ You can bend the whims of other people by making _them_ think it was their idea in the first place. And the human mind is already _well equipped_ to rationalize…"

"They're _terribly_ powerful," Lionheart said, staring into the middle distance. "At least, _some_ of them, in the wrong hands… though Knowledge, not so dangerous, really."

Qrow's eyes bulged. "Leo, you're not _serious?!"_ He nearly reached across the desk. "Those thugs who broke into Beacon claimed to be from _Mistral!_ Whether it's the most convenient target for them, or they know something about the relic that _we_ don't, you're _really_ gonna take that risk? Not to mention Oz's warning against bringing the relics together. It won't matter which ones they are if Salem just wants to make them a scorched earth weapon or something!"

Lionheart flinched, sweat on his brow. Qrow slammed his hands on the desk before staggering away in a circle.

"Dahlia has the excuse that the Winter Maiden is well accounted for, so _she_ can drop her guard a little unless that changes. _YOU_ didn't."

The room rang with silence before Professor Lionheart and the others reassessed his phrasing.

" _Didn't?"_ Ren asked.

Qrow nodded. "Yeah. I know where she is now."

"You…" Lionheart started, eagerness blooming. "You _do!? Where?!"_

"Oh…!" Qrow said, mockery in his tone. "I thought it didn't matter?"

"All I care about is that the girl is _safe!_ We never _stopped_ looking for her after she fled her duties!" Lionheart explained, still plainly antsy. "The location, Qrow! _Please!"_

Qrow gave him a hard look. "She _is_ safe. Living an unassuming life in an unassuming place, and I made certain to burn the breadcrumb trail I followed finding her."

"I'd rather she be in our custod—"

"That's _always_ a bad idea, Leo," Qrow said. "Keep the Maidens and their respective relics far apart, that's always been the winning strategy."

"Yes, except when Ozpin deigns to break his own rules!"

RNJR and Gohan watched a sort of verbal ping-pong match, as tongues continued to spar.

"That was _only_ because Autumn suffered unique circumstances, and Beacon was the closest place we could use to protect her! If we'd tried to move her here, or to Atlas, her death would have been a guarantee!"

"And yet, even so we have our first _Dark Maiden_ in the wild, with potential to take one of the most dangerous relics!"

Jaune stepped in. "If that's what we're up against, shouldn't we be rallying Maidens _on our side_ to help if they're so powerful?!"

"Once upon a time you were right!" Qrow snapped. "The Maidens were more active. Occasionally they'd be killed, whenever _she_ failed to entice them to her side… Maidens tend to be _pretty_ good people, and their auras leave their mark on the power, so being swayed to the dark side was never a concern!

"But now Salem's found a way to _steal_ it, give it to an undeserving person she _can_ control… and an asset that can be used against you is an asset best taken out of play. _That_ is why we don't weaponize relics. _That_ is why we keep the Maidens safe, and not on the damn frontlines!"

There was silence, and nobody dared agitate the two further.

Leonardo Lionheart visibly softened beneath Qrow's gaze. "Please… I just want to know where. It doesn't leave this room, I _swear_ it…"

Qrow was like a statue. But he quite literally blinked, before sighing deeply as he reached for his scroll.

As soon as the device sat flat upon the desk, a holographic map began flickering into existence. Qrow pointed to a marker in the midst of Anima. "She's got a little place here. Play our cards right, nobody's gonna find her. No scouts, no retrieval teams."

"You have my word…"

" _Leo,"_ Qrow said pointedly, finding his eyes. "I'd _better."_

* * *

Lionheart escorted the crestfallen group back to the elevator. It had been a disappointing day.

"You're _certain_ there's no more data? No clues? _Nothing?"_ Jaune asked, shaking.

Lionheart shook his head. "I'm afraid the imposters who matter have kept largely out of the spotlight until now, and their records weren't terribly forthcoming. We identified Mercury Black as the progeny of one Marcus Black… a rather notorious assassin… One Neolondra 'Neo' Politan, former Atlesian Infiltrator before her affiliation with, among others, Roman Torchwick. Emerald Sustrai has no record or facial matches, nor does our rogue Maiden…"

Jaune's eyes simply bored a hole into the lawn, his face inscrutable. Gohan watched as Ruby approached him, a hand on his arm, but the blonde tactician just walked away, leaving her to watch with concern.

"Leo, you be careful," Qrow said, as they began boarding the elevator, "Whatever you might think, Haven is _still_ the most likely target. We'll keep you in the loop… and I hope you'll do likewise."

Leonardo nodded, before his eyes found Ruby's. "Miss Rose, it… it was a pleasure. I know it's been a long time, but I'm _dreadfully_ sorry about your—"

"I-It's okay," Ruby said, barely flinching, "like you said, it's been a long time… good meeting you too!"

The elevator began its descent. Once it was beyond his sight, Lionheart heard a sigh behind him, and turned to see Doctor Watts.

" _You_ … do not perform well under pressure," he said, also staring down where the Huntsmen had vanished. _"Astonished_ you got anything from him at all.

"Come… she needs to be informed of this development. And _here_ , I do advise you to keep your head…

The elevator machinery clicked and clacked and audibly wound down before coming to a shakey stop as they reached the bottom. Qrow took a deep breath before stalking out into the cavernous walkways.

"So… all _that_ was pretty awkward," Nora opined, trying to break the ice.

Qrow laughed softly. "I'm not sure what _you_ kids were expecting, but that was about what I did… given a certain scenario."

"Like…" Ruby began, "You mean…? Like if Professor Lionheart was…?"

" _Lying through his teeth?"_ Jaune suggested venomously. "Yeah, it'd make sense… leave the door open for Salem, cover for everybody else. Make lame excuses for it."

Qrow chuckled. "Well, we don't jump to conclusions… but I'm glad to see you kids aren't stupid. I never started on this cruise under _anything_ less than the assumption that Haven is a _trap."_

Ren hummed in affirmation. "It _was_ strange for Cinder to speak so generally and detached… but then make that _one_ mention of Haven and Mistral in her message… as if she still somehow needed to maintain her cover…"

Qrow nodded. "Yeah, be awfully convenient to draw anyone still loyal to Ozpin to the same place, be rid of the best shot out there to beat her.

"That means _none_ of you go stag. Nobody leaves without telling someone about it, and then check in every hour, or we come after you."

"I'll keep an eye on your power levels," Gohan offered.

"Uh huh… sure… do that," Qrow said without breaking his concentration. Gohan was finally… _evidently_ annoyed.

"Well, _wait!"_ Ruby said suddenly, eyes alight with concern. "If you think he might be working for Salem… why tell him where the—?!"

"Where the Spring Maiden is?" Qrow finished. Ruby nodded as the others listened in. "Don't worry, I _didn't…_ I gave him something that looks credible, even if you _go_ there. If I didn't give him _anything_ it would tip off Salem's crew that we didn't trust him. _My_ way, at least we have an advantage."

Jaune nodded. "Spring the trap…"

Nora snorted. _"Spring…"_

Qrow nodded. _"Now_ you get it."

"So," Ruby began curiously, _"Do_ you know where the Maiden really is?"

Qrow glanced around, and spoke low. "Have a pretty good idea, but no ID… and for… _reasons_ , it's not exactly a party I can crash without being noticed."

"Oh…" Qrow uttered, stopping as he considered something, "and don't talk about any of this when you get back… Seriously, act like you'd act around Leo. When I get back, I'll fill you in…"

"Wha— _Hey!"_ Nora cried, walking backwards to keep pace in front of him. "Where are _you_ going?!"

Jaune crossed his arms. "Yeah, buddy-system for _us,_ but you're—"

Without looking behind him, Qrow set his hand over Jaune's face. "Okay… firstly, working _alone_ is kinda my milieu… secondly, I'm a fully- _graduated_ Huntsman…

"Third." He turned to a frigid Jaune, tapping a finger on his forehead. "They're not letting any of _you_ into a dive."

RNJR as a whole groaned.

" _Really,_ Uncle Qrow…?" Ruby asked, looking mortified _for_ him.

"Hey, they didn't _prescribe_ me anything at that hospital to take the edge off, and it's been a _hell_ of a few days… meet you back at the guest house."

He walked away as the group stood there, nonplussed.

"He knows we dunno how to get in that house, right?" Nora asked.

Ruby sighed, running after the man. "I'll be right back…"

* * *

They were back on the trail, off-roading through the sparse wood. Krillin kept his eyes closed in focus.

"Still on track?" Yang asked, wary, but gaining confidence in her new friend.

"Mmhmm," he answered, "I can feel them, they're meeting with a _bunch_ more. Fodder for the most part… but also a few a bit closer to _your_ level."

"Only _closer?"_ she asked, surprised both at the answer, and that she actually had set _stock_ in the answer. "Maybe she's not _there._ "

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Just how much further?"

"Left at that tree, through those bushes, and then hold on tight," Krillin said, suddenly standing on the seat as Yang unconsciously obeyed.

"Wait, what do you m—?"

On the other side of the bushes was pure moonlight, and Yang barely got a moment to brace as she felt the ground vanish from underneath them. Freed of friction, Bumblebee roared as its RPM's spiked. "Krillin, _damn it!"_

Beneath them she saw what looked like either a heavy camp or a light fort. A perimeter of sharpened logs and barbed wire containing dozens of people, bandits clear as day, with tents of various sizes, stacks of supplies and loot and a few animal cages.

She didn't have time to reflect upon it, however, as they were descending quickly in an arc and she was positive the bike wouldn't survive a drop like this.

Yang leaned violently over, twisting Bumblebee upside down and casting Krillin off with a yelp as she dismounted, kicking off the seat and dampening the bike's momentum as she shot for the ground.

There were few shouts from below before Yang landed hard in a wide stance, cracking the earth before Bumblebee landed seatfirst between her waiting arms and upon her shoulder, all of which absorbed the considerable impact as she slumped down.

Krillin landed lightly behind her as she set the vehicle back on its wheels, her hair slightly glowing with power after the hit, her eyes red.

Krillin couldn't resist making a noise as he noticed it, even as the bandits, young and old, gathered to see about the commotion.

"Your hair…" he said.

Yang turned around, face stone serious, and before she'd said a word his head jerked back in surprise at the change in her eyes. "It's my semblance, I'll explain later. Warn me next time if _that's_ the plan, kay?"

"...Sorry," he said, still fascinated as she blinked, eyes returning to lilac as she let the glow fade.

"That's them!" a familiar voice reported from the back. "That's the two that broke up our raid!"

"Yeah?!" Yang answered, searching the crowd for them. "Well if you've got a problem with that, how about you say it to my face?!"

For a good while there was silence, before the crowd gasped and turned to face the area the voice had come from. There was a sound of a short struggle, as Yang and Krillin watched the onlookers slowly parting between the dustup and the clearing they stood in.

Once the last few made way, they saw the owner of the voice being dragged, the helmeted bandit from earlier still sporting fresh bruises. His arm was held behind his back, painfully bent before he was thrown before the pair of them and onto the ground by a young woman the other bandits appeared to regard with utmost caution. Tan skin was offset by piercing light blue eyes, beneath a mop of incredibly short brown hair. The rest of her was a punk-rock wonderland. A leather choker wrapped around her neck. Torn sleeves revealed a tattoo along the length of her left arm, beneath a brown vest. All four limbs held inconsistent manners of guard, a wristband on one arm and an entire forearm brace for the other… Knee-guards at different lengths on either leg, with one leg of her maroon jeans rolled up to her thigh.

"You'll speak out, but you won't even seek revenge for yourself?" she told him. "Strength of the tribe behind you, but you'll let the rest of us fight your battle?" She scoffed, before her face twisted to a scowl of loathing. "You _coward."_

She stepped forward, before delivering a crushing kick to his temple with a painful noise that made much of the crowd wince as one, but a few others cheered, gruff sentiments of _"Weak!"_ echoing through the onlookers.

"Give him to the _dogs!"_ she ordered. "And let that serve a reminder to anyone _else!_ The _weak DIE!_ The _strong SURVIVE! THAT_ is the _Law of BRANWEN! Because that—"_

"Is the 'Law of the World,' Yang finished dismissively, the crowd souring immediately, "heard it all before."

The woman looked her in the eye, the faintest smirk on her visage as the crowd worked itself up. She held up a hand, and they grew silent in seconds. "Pretty bold words, to be so flippant with us. And since you _did_ stop one of our raids yourselves, the _rest_ of you must be pretty bold too. I hope you weren't under the impression that would save you _here_ though _."_

"I hope _you're_ not under the impression _you'd_ come out on top," Yang fired back. "You in a hurry to get dressed, or do you think the whole asymmetrical 'Cube-Fenix' look _actually_ works in real life?"

The woman quirked her head, but the smirk only deepened as her eyes narrowed. "Asymmetrical? That's rich coming from the amputee… wonder what that replacment'll sell for..."

"Yang?" Krillin asked quietly. "Is now really the tim—?"

"So who _are_ you anyway, somebody's _groupie?"_ Yang demanded, eyes flashing red.

The woman's eyes actually widened as the smirk vanished, and she began in a low tone, "Quite the mouth on you, uppity little ska—"

" _She's MY 'groupie,' actually,"_ came another voice from the other side of the camp. All present turned to see its owner, who stepped slowly through the crowd. If they had regarded the first woman with fear, they regarded _this_ figure with reverence. Even the scant elders among the tribe bowed their heads as she passed.

The most prominent feature was a four-eyed Grimm mask, boney white with red accents and intricate design. Ragged black hair streamed behind it like beastly fur. Her red and black attire sat between light sparring gear and combat armor. As if this visage alone weren't enough to terrorize the faint of heart as she stalked forward, at her side was a long blade, in an enormous and complicated scabbard.

She reached the clearing at last, the first woman standing attentive, now to the side as Yang faced the newcomer fully. Krillin merely frowned, watching the swordswoman with utter uncertainty.

The staredown continued, until the newcomer reached for her mask and slowly removed it, holding it under her arm to reveal a stunningly familiar face, blood red eyes set above a faint smile. "Hello Yang."

Yang stared into those eyes, like looking into a bizarre mirror. "Hi Mom."

* * *

Ruby cooed happily as she toweled off. It was rare indeed that they stayed at an inn, and even then it was that sort of _small town_ inn that — while familiar— was far from ideal. Be it temperature, water pressure or ancient plumbing riddled with soap scum and other miscellaneous grime, _something_ usually soured the occasion.

Nothing like _a Kingdom-grade washroom setup, with new tiling…! Lights! Shiny steel heads, faucets… EVERYTHING!_

The house had two half-baths and a master, and _somehow_ she drew the right straw for the primo option. It _also_ meant she could just lock the master bedroom door while she did her thing and be rid of most of the steam, just letting the kiss of air conditioning chill her bare skin a little.

Suitably dry, —and noting like she often did how her hair looked the same wet or dry— she slipped on the old black tank top and her famous pajama bottoms, which —while slightly tighter than she remembered after her growth spurt— were still cozy as could be. She was gonna sleep _well_ tonight…

She unlocked the door and walked out. The house was warm and roomy. None of them had expected it to be so accommodating to an entire team of Huntsmen. Passing the living room, she found Nora and Ren relaxed on the couch with Gohan seated in another.

"Hey, _someone_ looks relaxed," Nora commented as Ren flipped through a book.

"Yeah…" Ruby sighed. "Why aren't _you_ guys cleaning up?"

"I'm keeping watch," Ren answered, peering over his book at the front door. "With everything _this_ uncertain…"

"I was quick, so… we decided keeping _two_ of us ready might be _safer,"_ Nora finished.

Ruby took on a puzzled expression. "We only had _one_ person on watch when we were out in the Grimm-infested country…"

"Well… yes," Ren answered, strangely less composed. "But we suspect our _true_ enemy is here, and might be aware of us now, so _arguably_ it's even more perilous."

"Already had my 'pit-stop' anyway," Nora chuckled. "Mistral's really into _squat-toilets,_ huh? Good thing we're not used to _that_ or anything!"

Ruby's eyebrows seemed uncertain how to respond, but she giggled falsely with her. "Haha… yeah… because camping…!" She caught Gohan's eye, and all he could offer was the slightest shake of his head that said, _'Just as lost as you are…'_

There was a terminally awkward silence that followed. In the search for _any_ segue, her eyes sought talking points and fell upon Ren's book… which —now that she looked closer— turned out to be a phone listing…

 _Huh?_

 _Even Ren isn't THAT mellow… Why would he PRETEND to be reading something? Nora's right ther— Oh._

 _Ohhhhhhhh..._

Ruby walked over and took Gohan's hand. "We'll just… leave you two… _to_ it…"

"Oh, pff! Aw… y'don't _have_ to…" Nora said with a wave of her hand, one knee bobbing unconsciously.

"Yes," Ren added, "it seems _deeply_ unlikely our enemies will show suddenly at our doo—"

 _Knock knock knock…_

Every member of the group stared to each other in turn.

"Didn't your uncle know the door code?" Ren whispered, as Nora walked to the door, standing to the side of the frame as Ruby dragged Gohan against the wall and out of sight.

"He's been that far gone before," Ruby whispered back with a shrug.

Nora wrapped her fingers around the knob and cracked the door open, peering through with Ren.

Ruby only saw their eyes widen as they looked to each other, and then her, in surprise. Nora opened the door wider, more relaxed.

"Do you… have the right place?" Ren asked.

Ruby heard a youthful male voice she'd never heard before. "I… _think?_ I'm supposed to ask for… 'Ruby Rose?' "

Nora's eyes darkened as Ruby's spine felt a chill.

" _Who sent you?!"_ she demanded, pulling Magnhilde's launcher on the visitor.

" _Guiltyyyyyy!"_ Qrow's voice blared suddenly as the door burst the rest of the way open with a noise like cannon-fire, the man cackling as he went. Ren and Nora backed away with a start as the man staggered in, hand around the back of an apprehensive-looking youth in white with black slacks, orange suspenders gripping his shoulders. She only made out the back of his moppy black hair as Qrow, grinning like a madman, stomped his way to collapse in the nearest chair, nearly out of breath as he pulled out his scroll and began madly typing away.

"I… who…?" Nora asked, as the boy stepped cautiously past the threshold.

"I'm sorry, I'm… I'm Oscar Pine, but—" He paused suddenly, hazel eyes losing focus before nodding. "You can just call me Osca—"

He turned and caught Ruby's eye. "Uh… hey. _I'm_ Ruby."

"Your eyes…" Oscar said, staring with fascination.

The detached intensity of his gaze made her face feel warm. "What about them?"

"They're _silver…"_

"U-um…"

Suddenly their scrolls chimed as one. Each of them looked to each other before flipping them open. Ruby saw it was a mass-text from Qrow.

' _Play along'_

Ruby found Qrow's eyes. His brows rose significantly. She tapped Gohan's shoulder and showed him the message.

Ren closed the door as Qrow stood shakily up, clearing his throat. "So before we do anything, we need to do a sweep, got it?"

" _Sweep?"_ Gohan asked.

"Wellllllll," Qrow slurred, "not to _alarm_ anyone, but these VIP setups are often for dignitaries and foreign politicians, so… nine-ten odds, place is probably _bugged_."

Ruby felt something like electricity run through her. "B-bugged? You mean… like…?"

"Microphones, cameras, that sort've thhhing," he drawled. "In places like the living roomsss, bedroom, bath…"

Ruby Rose turned as red as her cape, and Nora's face pinkened. Ruby vanished in a plume of petals, and in moments they all heard the master bedroom being torn apart. Nora, meanwhile, plodded slowly towards one of the half-baths like a steel rod ran up her back.

"Welp," Qrow said, clapping a hand on Oscar's shoulder, "guess we've started…" He pulled out his scroll and pulled up an app. It calibrated before beeping steadily. Slowly, he waved it about, the tone changing in frequency.

" _I swear to GOD,"_ Nora's voice echoed in the distance, _"if someone recorded me ON THE CAN…!"_

"I'd better see how she's doing," Ren said, power-walking off. "Good to meet you, Oscar."

Qrow's scroll finally beeped frantically as he neared a lampshade. "Aha…!" he said, reaching in and pulling out a small, coin-shaped device on a thin copper lead.

"Oh… so they're like _that?"_ Gohan asked, suddenly brightening as his eyes focused.

A sound of thunder blasted from the bathroom. "NORA! That's only going to—" Ren cried, as they heard Nora's war cry.

"Yep," Qrow affirmed, "Ooh boy, I'm gonna pay _that_ outta pocket… But yeah, tiny, out of the way, usually give off _some_ clue they're aro—"

A series of pops erupted throughout the building as Gohan's eyes flashed, tiny motes of smoke erupting from numerous surfaces. An initial quiet overcame the house as the various voices ceased.

" _OH…! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!"_ Ruby shrieked, mortified. _"OH MY GOD, THERE WAS A CAMERA IN THE BEDROOM! AUUUUUUUUUGH!"_

" _ARRGGHHHHHH!"_ Nora screamed in fury. _"I'M GONNA SMASH THE CRAP OUTTA THE CREEP WHO DID THIS!"_

A feminine wail came from elsewhere as a door slammed elsewhere. _"WHO PUT A BOMB IN THE SHOWER?!"_ Jaune demanded. _"WHY IS EVERYBODY SCREAMING?!"_

Qrow and Oscar looked over to Gohan, who seemed uncertain how to feel.

"I… guess it worked?" the boy suggested, as the other pair in the room exchanged glances.

* * *

Watts and Lionheart watched in the Headmaster's office as the feeds went dead almost at once.

"Hmm… well so much for that," Watts muttered. "Do you suppose they suspect?"

Lionheart seemed uncertain how to answer. "I… can't be sure."

"The very idea that _they_ would present a threat… seems ludicrous, doesn't it?"

Lionheart didn't answer.

"Hmm… well, either way, we've _more_ than enough for a proper report. Come then."

The Headmaster's fingers shook as he saw Watts turn to leave. "What? _Now…?"_

Watts stopped, turning to face him with a raised brow. "Oh come now… _you're_ not the one who will suffer from the news we bring."

The two sat beside each other in the dark hall. Apart from Kingdoms, apart from what most would recognize as Remnant, sat another realm. A black palace, lit by firelight, dark crystals along the seats of twisted driftwood and set into the walls. Wrought iron cased the windows up to the curving ceilings, from which hung chandeliers of twisted tree roots, dangling yet more small dark crystals.

The seated pair were in the midst of an odd ritual. The more human between them groaned, her one visible eye pressed shut as she tried to steady her breathing. The eye creeped open to reveal amber that very nearly burned in its socket, particularly against her bob of pitch black hair. Just visible under her bangs, a black mask covered her left eye, the ever-present reminder of a bitter defeat.

"Better…" the other sighed in a clear voice, her pallid, upturned hand extended. Dark veins ran under her arms, only made _more_ prominent by the corpse-like paleness. Black robes and a cape draped over her form like smoke made solid. White hair —somehow _less_ pale than her skin— formed a large bun, a crown of six ornamented spears of hair turned down as they framed her face. A face that might have been beautiful, almost kind, a jewel set in her forehead… but the portals to her soul told another tale. Catlike slits, blood-red and set upon a canvas of black, her eyes were bestial and nearly seemed to glow.

Salem allowed herself a low-lidded smirk. "You're taking to the synchrony at last… I take it you're in _control_ of your feelings now? Properly directed them?"

She didn't answer, concentrating until Salem's slack grip tightened, her eyes flaring. _"Cinder…?" Answer_ me…"

Cinder Fall's eye opened wide. _"Y...yes…!"_ she rasped dutifully.

Salem surveyed her critically, but let her grip slacken once more as Cinder visibly relaxed. "Good… Perhaps _now_ you'll be ready to…"

She trailed off, ceasing her unseen work as Cinder glanced for the reason with caution. Salem's eye was fixed on something that chittered behind her, familiar, but strange. It soon crossed her right side, the _Seer_. A unique Grimm tailored for Salem's direct use, a living crystal ball —in as much as Grimm could be considered 'living'— hovering eerily as its tentacles trailed, tipped with lethal-looking bone tips. It draped itself over the long table they sat at obediently.

"Hmm," Salem intoned, peering at something she alone could see, "word from Haven…"

In a moment, the oily, bulbous surface of the Seer showed the two figures of Arthur Watts and Leonardo Lionheart. Cinder watched on, looking none too thrilled with hearing from either… yet pointedly turned away once the doctor opted to open his mouth first.

"Salutations My Lady…" he offered with a bow. "Cinder…" he begrudged.

"I suppose there is something I should know?" Salem asked, threat and expectation in her tone.

Watts glared pointedly at Lionheart, nodding his head.

"Your Eminence," Lionheart began carefully, "we have… we've discovered the location of the _Spring Maiden…"_

Salem's icy countenance faded somewhat as her cat eyes dilated, the slightest grin upon her features. "Truly? That _would_ be fortuitous. I'd had... _concerns_ this might not be accomplished before the date you promised the White Fang…"

Lionheart collapsed to his knees, eyes slammed shut as he steepled his hands. "A _thousand_ apologies, your Grace…! It wasn't mine to promise without the girl secured! I-I _had_ to give them _something_ or they would have abandoned—"

" _Enough,"_ Salem hissed, the Seer on Haven's end pointing its limbs in threat as the man silenced at once. "Arthur, I'm curious… to what do we owe this development?"

Watts measured his tone. "That's the… _other_ bit of news, M'Lady. The City of Mistral is now visited by one Qrow Branwen, who saw fit to entrust our dear Professor with this knowledge… _most_ grudgingly."

The Queen went quite silent, her eyes burning red. "Indeed… that runs quite contrary to _other_ assurances I've been given. And his entourage?"

Watts grinned, allowing himself a laugh. "Yes, Miss Rose and her various compatriots were in attendance."

Cinder let out the faintest hiss between her teeth as her face darkened.

"They're currently staying in a residence provided by the state. They've evidently gutted its surveillance features, however," Watts continued, before catching Cinder's eye. "Though we _were_ able to accrue some rather _compromising_ footage of the young Rose prior to that, if you're _interested_ , Cinder dear. We all know your fascination with—"

" _Go to hell…!"_ Cinder strained out before clutching her throat.

"Ooh!" Watts groaned, before tutting at her. "That sounds rather _painful…_ Is it?"

Cinder shook, prepared to retort in spite of her injury, but Salem's hand raised sharply.

"Everything is on course," she said with satisfaction. "Getting them in one place was the ideal, you remember… I'll be sending young Cinder to join you. We'll confirm the Spring Maiden's location… and then _she_ will assist you in _eliminating_ them. Quickly… _quietly…_ Perhaps a bit _less so_ , for the silver-eyed girl?" Salem said with a smile, eyes finding Cinder, who bowed her head.

" _Thank you…"_ she managed.

"Hmm…" Salem nodded. "And Doctor Watts?"

"Yes Madam?"

"Once your business is concluded, I want you to return here. Among other things, Tyrian is in need of a new tail."

Watts seemed surprised. "Really? His defeat was _that_ encompassing?"

Salem sighed. "Take it for an omen, should _either_ of you underestimate them so. That should go _double_ for you, Cinder. Leave nothing to chance…"

Watts took a step closer. "And if I may, M'Lady… what of our little pet project?"

"Naturally you'll see to _it_ as well," Salem answered. "That will be all… leave us."

Watts and Lionheart gave a bow, as the image faded and the two were alone once more.

"You as well… Make your preparations."

Cinder stood up, taking a step.

"And _Cinder?"_

The Maiden stopped at once.

"Your failure in regard to the girl was not one I judged you for… but I _may_ not be as forgiving if you succumb twice. Bear that in mind… and please let Tyrian know he can come in. He's been waiting _very_ patiently at the door."

There were times Cinder couldn't help betraying a disturbed glance. She did as instructed, another set of feet clapping softly inside. The great door closed with a cavernous clank.

"Sweet Tyrian… such hesitation," she said, a veneer of sadness in her voice. "Were you listening?"

"N-no!" a high voice said, as the lanky, thin faced man with black braided hair shuffled inside. "I would never _spy_ on you, Mistress! Not on _you!_ _For_ you in an instant…!"

She'd yet to face him, but stood up, eyes narrowing before her expression softened suddenly. "How I _want_ to believe you… but I believed you when you told me you were _certain_ Qrow had been dealt with… and I've just been informed that he's arrived at Haven, in quite good health, and with your quarry."

Tyrian's eyes went wide as he began to shake from head to toe. "He… _lives…?_ It cannot be…! It _mustn't_ be, I _stung_ him, I'm _sure_ of i—!"

"I'm _wrong_ then…?" Salem asked, fixing him with a deathly stare. "Your lack of faith in me is wounding, Tyrian… You failed me completely, and now my _dearest_ follower is on the road to apostasy…"

"No, _NO, my LADY, my GODDESS,"_ he cried, dropping prostrate, nose against the very floor, _"please don't say such th-i-ings…!"_ He sniffed, eyes welling. "I'll make it RIGHT! _In your name!_ I'll _KILL_ the Huntsman _BASTARD_ , _bring you the girl! I won't come back until it's DONE…!"_

" _No,"_ Salem said flatly, looking down at the man, making a piteous spectacle of himself below her. "I have an important task for you, your _original_ task, in due time… But _that_ duty is out of your hands."

Tyrian moaned like a wounded animal, fingers digging into his scalp. "I'm sorry…! I'm so _sorry…!"_

"In the meantime," Salem said, nearly stepping over him, "I expect you'll be penitent… do come to me when you _feel_ I'll forgive you."

She left as he watched, almost floating over the stone. His breath heavy, his arm-guards burst open into pairs of curving blades. She saw him staring at them, shaking as he pressed one against the upper side of his other arm.

She heard him shriek as a metallic slashing filled the air, and smiled as she left him. The sounds repeated, over and over again.

" _I'M SORRY...!_ _ **I'M SORRY!"**_

* * *

She continued her endless pilgrimage, her powers keeping her warm in the constant snowfall of Solitas. She wore her thick blue coat with a furry white collar that nearly blended into hair like white gold. Golden brown skin contrasted her aquamarine eyes, set below thin brows and above a serene smile.

Jól Yaldā was between villages near Mantle, looking to come upon those she could aid with her gifts… human or otherwise. She knew terrible things were afoot, but her job was to stay hidden. If she were truly needed, she could be called upon. Until then, she would do as she always had… bestowing kindness where she could, as subtly as she could.

The young Maiden heard a sound on the wind… a curious sound. A sound that _ought_ to be impossible here.

 _'R-r-ribbit!'_

"Hmm?"

' _R-r-rib-b-bit!'_

She searched for the noise. The path was hard to discern from the rest of the fields, but with a wave of her hand, the ice and slush melted away as a pocket of paradise bloomed into existence.

Among the dark volcanic soil and weathered stones, she found it. Shivering in its burrow of scavenged materials, natural and manmade —mostly garbage, to her ire— was a _frog._ A large green frog with red eyes, and… _antennae?_

"Well hello, little friend…!" Jól cooed, racing over as she let another special power seep between them. It croaked in fear as it watched her approach. "It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you…"

The creature froze as she picked it up. "Now how in the world did _you_ get into _this_ situation?" she asked. "You must be a _thousand miles_ from the nearest unfrozen pond…"

The frog-thing looked to her with annoyance, only grunting in reply.

"Come now, I _know_ you can understand me," she laughed, "that's one of my _special gifts."_ She winked. "And it also means _I_ can understand _you_ , so… go ahead! I _have_ to hear _your_ story!"

The frog looked at her with surprise as she waited, and then seemed to grin. And then it was _her_ turn to be surprised, as she heard a gruff voice chuckle darkly.

"Yes?" she asked, utterly lost.

" _CHANGE NOW!"_

In seconds, she felt an immense… _wrongness_. There was a blinding light. She felt utterly numb… and then utterly cold. She stared back into her own eyes, a sneer on her own face.

 _("What?!")_ she croaked.

In fact, she hadn't _said_ anything. The only sound she'd _made_ was a croak. She held her webbed hands in front of her fac—

"Hahaha!" Jól's voice guffawed at her. "And to think I thought my goose was cooked! If this isn't _providence,_ then I don't know _what_ is!"

She gave panicked ribbits, trying to speak, but nothing came. _She'd really swapped places with the frog! This couldn't be happening!_

"So in return for your ' _most generous_ aid'…" the imposter began, dropping her flat on the hard earth. "I'll spare you what _was_ to be my fate…"

Jól… the _true_ Jól, barely flopped upright before she looked back up… to see the heel of a thick winter boot racing towards her…

* * *

 _ **A/N: "Tokusentai…! Tokusentai…! Tokusentaaaaaaai!"**_

 _ ***To be crystal clear, since some people —somehow— didn't put this together and I can't find a way to be more explicit without mention of gore...** **Jól, the Winter Maiden, is DEAD. He crushed her with his/her boot***_

 _ **Wow, sorry for the delay guys, it's been CRAZY.**_

 _ **Really happy with this chapter despite the lack of real action. Afraid the next one is a touch chatty too, barring a decent fight. I had intended it to be pretty eventful, but as I got on, I realized it would CERTAINLY be two chapters, so Chapter 7 is going to be chock full of the good stuff, and I'm already getting some good headway on it. So Chapter 6 will be in the pipe to you guys before you know it.**_

 _ **I took time to expand Vegeta and Weiss' conversation to address some of the understandable confusion that came with the ki explanations, and I'm sorry some of those holes were left before. But hey, training sequences are for the characters to learn and for the audience to learn WITH them.**_

 _ **Already you can see where I'm deviating from Volume 5 with a bit of added worldbuilding, and giving our heroes the benefit of the doubt that they wouldn't fall heedlessly into a trap or just give potential enemies critical information. They're smarter than this. So while we're going through SOME of the same beats, we're doing so with our heads on straight.**_

 _ **Don't get crazy hype just yet folks, but it's going to be exciting!**_

 _ **PS: Almost forgot to mention, as it's been a while since I wrote this chapter, but since one of my pre-readers argued with me about this before I pointed it out... yes, Yang is strong enough to tank a motorcycle impact. He seemed to think she was only capable of feats like that with her semblance already engaged, so I pointed out things like her casually one-arming an entertainment center for the dance in Volume 2. Yang is tough in her own right. Funny enough, I WAS going to have Krillin be the one to catch the bike, but realized he was being a little TOO helpful. The last thing I want to do is make the RWBY cast seem useless or helpless, even if —for now— they're fodder for the Z cast, so I used this to demonstrate that and introduce Krillin to her semblance in what I HOPE is a cool and memorable way.**_


	6. Bitter Truths

"Okay, so…"

The chaos had subsided at 232 Masayoshi, for the moment. Each of Team RNJR were sat upon the couch as Gohan stood by, Qrow standing over them, trying to keep the peace.

"Uncle Qrow," Ruby began, face living up to her namesake, "could you _really_ not've warned us about the bugs?"

" _Before_ we all took showers and," Nora added, similarly puce, _"other_ stuff?"

"I've still got soap in my hair!" Jaune finished, present wearing only his towel. A fact not helping the two girls sitting beside him.

"So rinse it out…" Qrow said with a sigh.

"Because I'm _guessing_ whatever we're gathered for is important?" Jaune rebutted, arms crossed. "So who's _he?"_

"Mmm… not an _easy_ question to answer," Qrow said, regarding Oscar out the corner of his eye. "I'd say you've met, but I doubt you'd recognize him." He only received broken stares, Nora in particular looking unamused by his vaguery. Qrow turned to the farmboy. "Welp, you've got the floor Oz…"

Oscar gave an annoyed grunt and closed his eyes. Gohan watched as he felt a strange power surfacing, and his jaw dropped slightly as he finally recalled Oscar from before, leaving the train station.

" 'Oz…?' " Ren repeated, as an emerald glow overtook the boy.

His hazel eyes burned gold for a moment, and suddenly his demeanor was utterly changed. "My students… it has been _terribly_ long, and the hour is late."

There was a stunned silence before Jaune finally pieced it together. "Oz... _pin?!"_

The boy smiled as all of them fidgeted, as though on a rollercoaster that had pitched into a sudden, white-knuckle drop. "Be I ever so humble. Mister Arc, I'm surprised and _elated_ to find you here. Miss Rose… I am _less_ surprised, but no less comforted. I should never have doubted… but I am nonetheless… _proud,_ if that were the appropriate word?" he finished, uncertainly.

"Okay, _I'm_ completely lost," Nora admitted. "So who crammed our headmaster into the runt?"

Oscar's eyebrows lilted. "I'll have you know, Miss Valkyrie, that Oscar very much resents that, and he's appropriately sized for his age."

"I thought you were Ozpin…" she droned back.

"One, the same… and also _neither_ ," Ozpin admitted. "My soul is combined with Oscar's. To speak of one is to speak of the other… at least eventually."

"Okay, okay, hold on!" Ruby began, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Last I heard anyone say, Ozpin was _missing!_ So… I mean, _what?"_

Ozpin chuckled lightly. "For those who understand my… _circumstances,_ that would not have been an inaccurate statement. But for the sake of brevity, the form you all would have recognized… _perished_ under the assault of one Cinder Fall, deep below Beacon Academy. Young Oscar here, is, let's say, a reincarnation."

"You… _reincarnated,"_ Ren began looking troubled, "into the body of another person?"

"The body of _a like-minded soul,"_ Ozpin clarified, nodding. "A young male. Not wholly unlike how the powers of the Four Maidens transfer. Of course, the Maidens only receive flashes of feelings, traces leftover from the souls their power has touched. Something akin to a second conscience. Oscar has the benefit of my knowledge, my memories, and… for a time… my guidance."

"For a _time?"_ Ruby asked.

Jaune however, didn't wait for him to elaborate. "So you died and came back… What _is_ this? What the hell makes _you_ so special?!"

"Hey!" Qrow barked, but Ozpin caught his eye.

"No… it's alright. Firstly, 'came back' is all rather subjective. My soul lives on after death, and I latch onto another. The self that came before, however, ultimately melds into and surrenders to the host."

"So ya mean…" Nora began, thinking, "He takes over for _good?"_

"Yes, eventually," Ozpin affirmed. "I've explained this to him, of course, but my predecessor did not bear my name, nor my personality. Rather gruff, in fact, as I recall. But honestly, given my immortal task, a shift in perspective is often welcome when it comes to combating Salem." The youthful face turned wistful, but sad. "Yet still I feel I've repeated the same mistakes, so many times…"

A memory flashed in Ruby's mind. _" 'I've made more mistakes than any man, woman or child'..."_

He nodded. "Very astute, Miss Rose. Yes, I'm afraid I very much meant what I said."

"But _why?!"_ Jaune demanded, becoming more heated with every passing minute. "Why do _you_ get to come back, but… but nobody else?! Not…"

Ozpin seemed to freeze unable to look Jaune in the eye. "My powers don't come with omniscience, so I've only recently been briefed on what happened since, and… _during_ … the Fall of Beacon." He took a deep breath. "Mister Ar— Jaune…"

The swordsman froze locking eyes at last.

"You wouldn't _want_ Miss Nikos to return as I do…"

Jaune looked very much like he'd been stabbed, pupils shrinking.

"It is not voluntary, nor something I have done to myself, in the traditional sense. I… I have been _cursed._ To live and die, again and again, until my task here is ended. _"_

"Task?" Ren repeated, pondering. "To… stop Salem?"

Ozpin nodded. "As I failed to do, a _very_ long time ago." He began to pace, his cane extending out, an ancient ivory handle hiding a great onyx block. He hefted it idly. "I am the last of a kind… to _my_ knowledge at least. A holdover from an age forgotten, as my parents told me. Much like the Silver Eyed Warriors. I had astonishing powers, but I kept them hidden from the world, guarded them jealously, as always had I been instructed. I was bitter and alone into my latter years… until my lonely dwelling was visited one day, by four _extraordinary_ young women."

Ruby's eyes lit up suddenly, and a few of the others held curious expressions as well. "W-wait! This is starting to sound _really_ familiar!"

"You… _you_ ' _re_ the _wizard?!"_ Nora very nearly shouted.

The boy chuckled like an old man. "That… is how _history_ has referred to me. And I must admit, I don't really _have_ a more accurate term for _what_ I am." He looked out a window into the distance, a smile growing. "All I know is it hadn't mattered until that day. I had squandered my gifts for so long, and I chose to present them to the worthy. They… they taught me _so much,_ of the power of simple kindness… in a simple, _honest soul."_

A look of nostalgia took him, but swiftly faded away. "But I was… _deceived._ I was so taken with the four, so _desperate_ to use what power I had left to be as good to others as they had been to me…"

Pain filled his features. Qrow made to step in as Ozpin's pause spiraled. "Maybe we finish this next—"

The cane whirled to tap across Qrow's sternum. "No… no, it's important they understand," he said, taking a breath. "My story… which is to say, the _Maidens'_ story, spread uninhibited. Townsfolk came to me for help, favors… on occasion, to threaten. But most notable was a strange, frightened-looking creature who sought me out. The palest complexion… red-eyes… _beautiful_ in her own strange way… and deathly, almost false-looking… like a mannequin. She told me she was the embodiment of the Grimm, and that I might save _both_ our races."

"The…? Do you mean…? Sal—?" Jaune stammered, as Ozpin sighed.

"When we met, she told me she _had_ no name. In retrospect, it feels so _foolish_ … of all the regrets, this opened the way for so much more to come after… but I was compelled by my newfound sense of philanthropy to look _past_ her morbid appearance. Especially, if what she said was true, and it could mean the Grimm would never darken humanity's proverbial doorstep again. Feeling a sort of compassion for her, as she pretended herself a harmless, timid thing to lower my guard… I offered her the name _'Salem.'_ An old word from a society who once existed in what we now call Vacuo. It meant 'peace,' to honor her aims in seeking me out."

"That's just a thing you knew, huh?" Nora asked, her face half tired, half disbelieving.

"I was a recluse for so long," Ozpin said in reply, "reading had long been my greatest vice. So… I let her lead me to a place, hidden and ancient. A place from _before_ the cataclysm that left this Remnant of the old world. She told me that within this vault lay the power to heal the world of the sickness that afflicted her kind, but it was sealed by a magic that was precious and fading in the world. A magic I alone had been born with. Thrilled, taken by delusions of destiny, I broke the wards… and she didn't hesitate to strike."

Ruby was surprised to see Qrow return with a steaming mug. She hadn't recalled him even leaving. Ozpin took the cup in Oscar's hands, nodding his thanks.

"I don't suppose you object to coffee?" Ozpin asked, eyes upturned. The others shared confusion before they recognized his question was directed at his new 'roommate.' "Mmm," he intoned with a nod, before taking a sip. "So yes, if I hadn't been following the path of an inscription on the chamber wall, I'd have entirely missed her attempt to slay me. I was wounded, immobilized, but still fairly powerful. She made for the four treasures within as I demanded she explain this betrayal.

"She claimed she had been truthful. She wanted to heal Remnant of the disease, the _abomination_ that afflicted it. The abomination of Mankind. She was, she claimed, the Aspect of the God of Darkness on Remnant, enactor and purveyor of his will. A _heart_ in the Grimm, from before the god was swayed by his brother to create humanity. She would continue that campaign of ruin."

"She just… _told_ you that?" Ren asked. "She had the upper hand, and stood there to explain?"

Ozpin gave a single cry of mirth as his eyes closed a moment. "Yes, quite different from her underlings, in my experience… though that was a _great_ time past."

"I dunno," Ruby said with a shrug," that guy Tyrian had it in for me, and _he_ was pretty mouthy…"

"Hmm." Ozpin eyebrows rose. "I'll like if you could regale me on this one later. But yes, Salem explained simply how little she spoke to anyone at all, let alone she'd be incapable of wringing misery from an extinct species… so I was merely a proxy, the representation of her hated enemy… and I would bear the punishment for mankind's sins."

"So… hold on…" Nora said, eyes still narrowed. "She works for dark god, but she's thrown out that whole 'beings that can choose both' stuff from the story? I don't get it. Did he change his mind?"

"Honestly I can't rule it out," Ozpin answered, "but I don't _think_ so. The only example of either brother's will I've encountered is dubious at best. All signs point to them having left Remnant to its own devices. It could indeed be the Dark Brother's will, he might never have truly embraced humanity at all, and Salem reflects that. Perhaps he simply detests the lighter path humanity has taken, and _reneged_ on his brother's bargain in fury. _Or_ Salem existed in some primal form at the start, and her heart merely mirrors the whims of her master when the Grimm were created. Her divine title could be an invention of her own, and as the Grimm incarnate, merely resents being her master's less favoured creation…"

None of them had anything to add to that, merely blinking unevenly as they processed.

"Uh, yeah…" Ruby said at last, "one of those…"

"Or _none_ of them," Ozpin said seriously. "Either or, she's never divulged much beyond our first true clash… Oh, of course, I've yet to finish, have I? Well, the long and short of it is I escaped, and she hastened, but both of us were plunged into a chasm as we gripped the Relics. In that moment, I had flashes of things I didn't understand, but knew the power and danger were _vast_. I gained an upper hand and separated her from her treasures, beaten and bloodied astride a fortunately placed outcrop. Somehow, I knew I had the power to destroy her then and there."

He sighed, taking another sip. "A moment's hesitation… a mercy, undeservedly received… and she was gone. Vanished, back to her cold corner of reality beyond man's notice. Frail, old, and injured, I hobbled to my home, precious cargo in tow. I found a secluded space and buried them, casting an illusion over the site. My sight grew dark… and I collapsed on my own doorstep, not to wake again… Or, that's what _I_ believed, before I found myself staring through the eyes of a young lad named Zoroaster."

"And that," Ren began, slow of cadence, "that was…?"

"My first reincarnation, yes," Ozpin said. "It's funny how deities work. Magic is certainly a force of reckoning, but _the divine_ … that's another matter altogether. The Relics are direct instruments of their might, a true _Promethean Flame…_ and attached to them, their maker's will.

"I was _cursed,_ that day, when I might have slain the enemy of Man. I failed, and was tasked with correcting that. Were I more _circumspect_ with the truth of myself and the Maidens, Salem might not have discovered me at all. Had I been decisive when it was necessary, she'd be gone… and countless generations might have been spared the suffering that has come of this endless war."

Nobody spoke. Ruby Rose had heard the fairytale as a girl, but _never_ would she have expected such appalling things had followed _'happily ever after...'_

"So now you know," Ozpin said idly. "And the rest I have is strategery… but of course, I can't plan effectively without being properly informed myself. Most new and curious… who might _you_ be, young one?" Oscar's voice asked, eyes turned kindly towards the silent child.

He _had_ wondered when feigning invisibility would run its course. "Oh, I'm… Gohan, Son Gohan, sir."

"Mmm, Mistralian naming convention I see," Ozpin noted. "You know, it's not unheard of, but one so young exhibiting a semblance as _you_ did earlier is rather quite extraordinary."

"Oh… well, it's not a 'semblance' exactly, sir," Gohan said, unnerved to be addressed by the man behind the boy. "And I'm not _really_ from around here."

"Oh?" Ozpin intoned with interest. "How so?"

"That's a…" Ruby began.

" _Looooooooong_ story," Nora finished.

Oscar's eyebrows rose at seeing the two Huntresses subtly backing the claims. "Well I pride myself in my patience, among other things, so perhaps you should explain then? To _Oscar_ of course… I think it's time you all were duly acquainted, rather than catch-up with an old man."

In a flash, Oscar gasped, "Wow… I'm _really_ not used to that yet! ...Hi? Everyone?"

With that, Jaune gave a heavy sigh. "And here's the part where I can finish my shower…"

"I thought you didn't want to miss anything important?" Ren reminded him.

"Eh, I've heard this part."

* * *

Krillin beheld the stalemate, relieved to see he wasn't the only one surprised by Yang's statement. The bandits, even the tattooed termagant, were staring between Yang and their masked mistress, mouths hanging open like a school of terrified fish.

Finally, Raven Branwen broke the silence with a smile. "So you've finally come? I'll admit, I was starting to think it just wasn't happening."

Yang's lips parted just enough to see her grit teeth. "I've been searching for you my _entire life!_ Dad wouldn't _tell_ me where you were. Uncle Qrow only JUST did in time for us to lose _everything!"_ she shrieked, eyes flashing red again before she silently took a breath.

Raven's eyes appeared to tire before her. "Calm down… I was only _trying_ to be humorous. I know your father's kept you from me. If anything, I'm _impressed_ you're here already… perhaps a little _wiser?"_

Yang reeled back. " _Wiser?"_

"Perhaps a little more prepared to hear what I have to tell you?" Raven clarified. "You've been trained up, cloaked in the apparent safety of your paper kingdoms and Huntsman schools. Under fools like Ozpin, who think they're still in control, who think they can save the ones too weak to protect _themselves_ and still fight an invisible enemy."

"Ozpin…?" Yang whispered. "What does _he_ have to do with…?"

"But you've _seen_ those walls crumble," Raven continued, "front and center to a kingdom being crippled—" Raven's eyes flashed to Yang's golden prosthetic. "Being _broken_ from within, even with one of their strongest allies there to help them."

Yang's narrowed eyes found a way to squeeze ever tighter. "I'm a _Huntress,"_ she said, words laced with venom, _"You_ were a Huntress! It's our _duty_ to protect people, not a _burden!_ It's what I signed up for!"

Raven's expression hadn't changed. "But it's not what _we_ signed up for. My brother and I. Oh certainly, we applied and attended under the guise of runaway idealists… and Ozpin, bleeding heart, so easily swayed by a hard luck story… he accepted _us_ with open arms. Two children of The Tribe, learning how to _KILL_ Huntsmen, at his very knee."

Yang's narrowed eyes flew back open. She stood a beat before storming back in. "Well Qrow clearly changed his mind! You were with Dad! You had _ME!_ Maybe Ozpin knew better than you thought?!"

The bandits collectively took a breath, faint mutters in the crowd. Raven's light grin had vanished, but her eyes remained steely. "I was young once too, rebellious… _stupid_. All that heroic optimism at Beacon, the warmth and apparent safety of Vale… it made you forget how the world _really_ works. Ironically, Ozpin _himself_ was the one to remind me. I wish I'd come to my senses a _little_ sooner in some ways, prevented myself making a few childish mistakes."

"Yeah!" Yang cried, trying her best to keep her lip firm even as her voice faltered, brows furrowing in her wake. "Mistakes like _me_? Mistakes like your _FAMILY?!"_

Raven shut her eyes with a breath, but kept a firm grip on her stride. _"This_ is family, Yang. I hoped one day you'd find me out here, and now that you have… you've earned yourself a _place_ in it. And possibly _more,_ if that's what you want."

Krillin had been watching the discussion, but was also paying close attention to the crowd, and so he noticed the short haired woman eyeing Yang with flared nostrils at Raven's last statement.

"I'm…" Yang began, metaphorical footing giving way, "I'm not here for _any_ of that! I'm not even here for _you!_ I'm here for my _sister_."

Raven's brows furrowed, the muscles around her cheekbones softening. "Summer's child? I've no idea what you're talking about. We've never even _spoken_."

"No… but she's gone to Mistral," Yang explained. "She left months ago, and she needs my help."

"I just told you we've never seen her. Anima is a big place. There are any _number_ of holes she might've stumbled into."

"Exactly," Yang said, stepping forward. "Could take ages, she could be _anywhere_ … but I know Qrow's not far off. That's where _you_ come in."

Raven froze. Her expression hadn't changed, but she stared unblinking. "I fail to see where you're going with thi—"

"I know about your semblance," Yang blurted. "I know you anchor to certain people, and make portals straight _to_ them. That's why you were able to show up out of nowhere and then just vanish back in Vale, and it's how I'm getting to Ruby."

Raven's countenance finally fell as she sighed. "I see Tai's been blabbing… Well, you'd better hope you're _wrong_ for your sister's sake… because if she's _truly_ with my brother after all that's happened, then she's walking into the same fate as her _mother."_

Yang's eyes flashed wide as her teeth became ever more visible. "Summer…? What are you _talking_ about?! Summer vanished _after_ you walked out! _Nobody_ knows what happened to her!"

"Maybe that's _technically_ true," Raven admitted, "but I knew _why_ she was gone as soon as I got the news. I can't stop you running after Summer's girl, but say what you _want_ about my parenting… I'm not _helping_ you destroy yourself."

"What does it matter to you?!" Yang shouted, finally incensed. "You were _never_ there, you _never_ cared before! Just send me to them so I'll stay out of your life just like you wan—"

" _You don't know what you're talking about, young lady!"_ Raven shot back, just as fiery. "How _dare_ you?! Stop being _petulant_ … I _refuse_ to grant your request, that's the end of it."

Raven turned to walk away.

" _Fight me for it!"_ Yang shouted, cocking a fist and firing a gleaming flare.

The swordswoman twisted in a heartbeat, sword unsheathed as a blood red maelstrom appeared before her and behind Yang. The blonde staggered forward as her own shot struck her in the back with an eruption of sparks, her aura flickering protectively. Krillin was at her side in an instant.

"Fight you for it?" Raven repeated. "Fine, _there's_ your portal. Or…" Another flash of steel ripped a new hole in reality beside her, "...you can have _this_ one. Free ticket, one-way, straight home to Daddy."

"You _know_ what I mean!" Yang shouted, back up to full height as Krillin backed away in surprise. "You, me, right now! I win, you send me to Qrow!"

"And what?" the bandit lord asked, eyes half closed in irritation. "I win, you _don't_ get what you want? Pretty uneven stakes. What's in it for me?"

Yang stopped and considered. The time came that she was silent long enough for her mother to turn with a grunt, prepared to leave outright.

"I'll stay."

Raven and Krillin both turned their heads towards Yang, the onlookers giving a more subdued response.

"Stay?" Raven asked.

" _Forever,"_ Yang clarified. "You beat me, I stay, no resistance."

Both involved parties took a metaphorical or literal step back in surprise.

"Yang…!" Krillin whispered. "Look, what you do is _your_ business, but how do you help your sister if it turns out you _can't_ take her in a fight?"

"I'll be fine."

Krillin shook his head. "No, you don't get it… I can't sense her energy."

" _So?"_

Before he could answer, both turned as they heard Raven give a burst of mirthless laughter. _"Forever?_ It's like you think I'm some ogre guarding a tower. I'm not keeping my own daughter as a _prisoner_. How about a season? I win, we spend some time catching up. You see how we do things, and when it's over, if you _don't_ stay, at _least_ we'll know where everyone stands."

"Deal!" Yang cried immediately, still standing as tall as she could. "Just don't get your hopes up… I'm ready when _you_ are!"

Raven winced, shaking her head. "With your attitude, this time of night? The Grimm will come running, endanger my people."

"That'll be true _any_ time of day," Yang bristled.

"Perhaps," the matriarch admitted, "but by first light, the guards will be rested and can better see the beasts coming. _That's_ when we'll duel."

Yang didn't answer, only glaring. Her mother took the silence for agreement.

"So relax, prepare, get some food. And if you have any questions, I'll be in my tent."

Krillin did his best subtly to block the path —in case Yang tried to muscle past and start something she'd regret— as Raven strode off, only sparing a moment to turn and add, "It's the big one."

By the time her heavy-heeled bootfalls left their ears, Krillin visibly relaxed, Yang still stiff and immobile as the crowd dispersed.

"You _really_ don't know what you're in for," Krillin told her, still staring after the place Raven vanished. "If she can mask her energy, odds are good she knows how to _control_ it too."

"I don't care," Yang said, dispassion in her voice. "She doesn't know _what's_ coming."

"I'd listen to your friend, buttercup," came a familiar voice from behind.

Yang snapped to face the tattooed woman, even as Krillin slowly turned with little surprise.

"Oh yeah? Know something we don't?" Yang asked.

She smirked. "Bit of a dumb question for a girl in search of answers."

Yang only regarded her coldly, but the woman laughed.

"Sorry, sorry… I _really_ should try to start over, seeing as we're going to get pretty well acquainted the next few months. Name's Vernal."

She offered her left hand. Again, Yang did little but stare at it, before her gaze returned to Vernal's icy-blue eyes.

"You're lucky you're the boss' kid," Vernal said, edging closer, hand withdrawn. "If you were _literally_ anyone else, you'd be hunkered-down this time tomorrow, picking through the commode for your own _teeth."_

"If I weren't _'the boss' kid,'_ I'd never be here in the first place," Yang answered back, not blinking at the threat.

Vernal gave the lightest snort in acknowledgement. "Fair enough. Just beware," she said, beginning to walk out into the camp, "us thieves and scoundrels ain't exactly the rank and file type. Keep pissing us off, one of us might do something about it... And your mom wasn't exactly 'in line for the throne,' or picked for the job when _she_ took over."

With a slight smile, she turned her back, one arm up as she silently waved back at them.

Krillin sighed. "This place gets more charming by the minute."

* * *

"So this guy, _'Vegeta'?"_ Ruby repeated, oddly stoic. "He sounds a lot like…"

"Like _Cinder,"_ Nora spat, arms crossed.

Gohan had spun quite the epic yarn, as he expounded upon his own world, the friends he knew, and all the fighting he'd been present for. Unexpectedly, as much as he admired his father, —the champion named Son Goku— he knew precious little about the man and his accomplishments compared to the enigma he called 'Mister Piccolo.'

Oscar shrugged, though he and all present hung onto every word. Even Qrow, though he was more likely to interject with an intermittent, disbelieving push of air and noise. "I dunno," Oscar opined, "I guess on some level people who do evil stuff _all_ start to sound alike."

"Well, yeah…" Gohan said, conflicted, "Vegeta's done some really bad stuff, but… I don't know, we've worked together with him against Frieza, and… I don't trust him, but Frieza is _so much worse,_ and... I feel like he could come around."

"Mmm," Jaune intoned, feigning disinterest even as he found himself back in the foyer, listening intently.

"Ugh…" Oscar groaned.

Ruby stared. "What?"

"You'll know in a second," Oscar said, as the glow overtook him again.

A different gleam took Oscar's hazel eyes, as the familiar tone filled his voice.

"I'll try to keep it to a minimum," Ozpin said in apology. "I'm afraid there are just certain things that will get on faster if I handle them myself."

"Hi again, Professor!" Gohan greeted brightly, even as the older boy approached.

"Hello Gohan. I must say, regardless if your words are the truth, you impress with your consistency. If this is a tall tale, it's one you know intimately. At no point did you contradict yourself or even hesitate to answer a direct question."

Gohan's ears reddened bashfully at the strange praise, though Ozpin wasn't finished.

He sighed. "But what you say is all… frankly _so_ extraordinary, I'd be a fool to take you at your word alone… or _anyone_. And as much of the problem stems from your proclaimed feats, I dare to suggest… Gohan, would you indulge me in a spar?"

Qrow blinked as he caught himself from falling over in his chair. " _What?_ Oz, you're joking."

"I am _not."_

"He's _five."_

"Yet already exhibiting abilities beyond his years."

"Okay!" Gohan said at last. "Where?"

* * *

Gohan and Oscar stood at opposite ends of the yard, a plate of red clay overlooking much of the middle city, where hundreds of lights and the soft smoke of chimneys shimmered warmly under star and moonlight. The other Huntsman watched from the sidelines as they squared off.

"Alright Gohan," Ozpin began, "I'll start bare-handed and give you the first move. Just _try_ and land a strike on me if you can."

Gohan peered at him, almost seeing through him. "Just land one? Like tag?"

Ozpin chuckled. "I suppose so, yes."

Gohan breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, good… because I _really_ don't want to _hurt_ you… and I don't want Frieza to pick me out."

Qrow leaned his torso far sideways to catch Ozpin's eye, eyebrow risen as he rolled his eyes. Ozpin smiled, understanding the message quite clearly. _'Now the kid's making excuses for why he's not as tough as he says.'_

"Alright," Ozpin chuckled, "whenever you're ready."

"Go Gohan!" Ruby cheered, excited even as her fellow teammates watched with apprehension.

Gohan closed his eyes a moment, taking a breath...

There was a shrill noise like air compressing, and Gohan's image fractured and shimmered, like he were slipping behind the very curtains of reality. Even as they tried to process this, Oscar fell forward to a single knee with a gasp of air before Gohan had even fully filtered into their vision again, standing firmly behind him. Two fingers had curled, and it was plain to see the boy had merely tapped Oscar in the back with his second knuckle.

"Did… did anyone _else_ not follow that at _all?"_ Jaune asked.

"No…!" Qrow said, eyes bugging out.

"Yeaaaaaah," Ruby drawled, still smiling even as her eyes gaped. "Speed is kinda my thing… buuuuut…"

"It's _inhuman!"_ Qrow finished for her."I don't think I've _ever_ seen anything move like that!"

"Y'know he _did_ say he was half alien, right?" Nora noted.

"Actually, he said he was half of _another_ type of alien," Ren corrected. "The first half was alien to us in the first place…"

"Oh yeah… _WATCH OUT, Ozpin, he's a DOUBLE-alien!"_ Nora shrieked, using her hands as a megaphone.

Oscar returned to his feet, winded, but determined as he turned to face the boy. "T-teleportation… perhaps?" Ozpin wheezed. "It's not unheard of."

"Maybe you should find out?" Gohan suggested, wearing a devilish grin. "After all, _you're_ 'it' now..."

Oscar unlatched the cane from his hip in an instant, an ornate can-shaped, ivory artifact which spun end over end towards Gohan in a tall arc.

"Indeed so," Ozpin said with a grin, dashing over at blasting speed just in time to catch the artifact in midair, and Gohan by surprise as the carbon cuboid telescoped out of its end into the young boy's direction.

The extending weapon sprung to full length, but the boy was far too fast, body twisting as the blocky tip sailed past. A follow-up swipe slashed towards Gohan's ribs but still only made air whistle, as the boy set his fingers upon Oscar's scalp and vaulted up with a feather's force upon his opponent. Arm extended, Gohan looked down into Oscar's eyes, even as his feet faced twelve o'clock into the air above them.

As Gohan hung slowly, Ozpin upped his game, twirling the cane a moment before thrusting its point up at Gohan, who drifted effortlessly to evade it. It had only been the prelude to something more, however, as a flurried blur of identical strikes fountained into the air, several per second. Gohan appeared almost not to move at all, but his floating image gently drifted higher as he visibly obscured in that same curtained strobing.

At last Ozpin leapt above him with a spiraling sweep, forcing Gohan to descend before hurling his staff into the ground with a blast of green light as it embedded itself there. Gohan backed off to clear it, letting his toes skim the ground as he glided to a slow stop on the other side of the yard. Oscar landed with perfect balance atop the handle of his cane, eyeing Gohan without a shred of humor before hopping down to set both hands over his embedded weapon.

A light breeze began to kick up around Oscar as he focused intently.

"Uh… hey," Gohan asked, dropping his stance a moment, " is it okay if I parry your strikes? 'Cause I think it'll be kinda dull if I just keep dodging… and you'll probably start getting really frustrated."

Ozpin held his focus, his eyebrows rising. "I don't recall having forbade any such thing, Gohan. This is but a friendly match, I'd dare to say there _are_ no set rules."

Gohan grinned. "Oh, sorry, I'm used to sparring with a pretty strict—"

Oscar crouched swiftly into a running stance, and the rest of them hardly saw him cross the distance with a burst of air, cane aimed at Gohan's sternum. Ruby felt the impact in her chest as Gohan blocked, meeting the tip of the weapon with his thumb, still standing straight. He hadn't even lowered his stance. Oscar spun around him, back to his opponent as the cane twirled like a propeller, Gohan weaving out of its reach as he twisted to face him on the other side.

Oscar took the twirl's momentum and spun to face Gohan with a great overhead slam that shook the yard, as Gohan matched it with the flat of two fingers.

Oscar betrayed a frown as he zipped around the boy, poking and prodding with lightning speed as he sought an opening Gohan simply didn't have, the same two fingers thwarting every strike. He dashed in for another frontal strike, but instead slid sideways into a feint as his foot kicked off, and he vaulted in an arc over Gohan. Locking eyes, Ozpin arrested his own momentum as he began to rapidly strike with the cane, Gohan meeting every blow even as they came in intervals too fast for Team RNJR to see. Oscar's body hung in midair from the pushback on his weapon, floating over the impact as surely as if he'd been balancing upon Gohan's shoulders.

It looked as though a storm of onyx rods were crashing over some impenetrable shield above Gohan as his arm had similarly become blurs of color. But with a sudden move, Gohan's left hand raised, palm-up, middle finger alone retracted. Without so much as bracing it against his thumb, the one finger flicked, and the effect was instant. Oscar sailed upwards as he was disarmed, the cane flipping just out of reach as his green aura flickered.

' _*Kuchink!*'_

The sharp, metallic report of gunfire puzzled Gohan as something sparked, glancing off Ozpin's cane and knocking it into his reach. The wayward wizard immediately twirled the weapon before him, the resulting gale pushing him away from freefall to slide with a clatter upon the brittle tiles of the sloped roof.

Gohan smiled as he realized his error, focusing too intently on his single opponent and not remaining wary to his surroundings. He felt it coming before he'd even turned around.

" _Banzaaaaaaaaaai!"_ was Ruby's shrill cry as she catapulted down at him, Crescent Rose unfurled as her feet rode its twin blades like a lopsided pogo stick, the blunt head of the weapon aimed at him.

Gohan's palm rose as his body lowered, skipping Ruby, weapon and all over him like a stone thrown over a still pond. She reached the wall of the house on the other side feet first, kicking off and back into the fray with a lethal whirl of her weapon… had she been attacking with the bladed end.

The others watched as they spun around each other, foiled attack after foiled attack, and yet Ruby seemed no less discouraged. Her cape seemed to stretch impossibly as brilliant rose petals enshrouded her, and she became a maelstrom of blades and bullets She dove into the center of her own crimson cyclone, plunging the aft end of her weapon down as she struck with the force to blast petals out into the Mistral skies en masse.

Ruby knew she'd missed, but found him standing yards off, looking to her with his fist held out.

All stood perplexed, until he opened his hand to let several high tech rounds clatter to the floor with innumerable small thuds and clicks. _He'd caught every shot aimed at him BARE-HANDED._

" _Holy schnikes…!"_ Ruby whispered, knowing she had the reflexes to deflect bullets, certainly… but _catch_ them from the air?!

A collective war cry sounded from the sidelines as the rest of RNJR leapt in, and the fight began anew, Qrow still watching with wide eyes and a sweating visage.

Gohan twisted in a midair corkscrew to fit between a pair of green bladed machine pistols as they sailed at him, fingers out to counter the head of a steely hammer swinging between, which rang like a gong in its owners grip as he pushed backwards under a slashing sword and past blue jeaned legs. Qrow watched as they all danced against the Moon, dark shapes beneath silvery light, rapt in friendly combat.

But in due time, they all leapt from each other as a flash from the rooftop broke the night's spell.

"Stand aside!" Ozpin ordered _literally_ from on high, an emerald power encircling him. "Gohan… _prepare_ yourself."

Ruby looked between the two, her friends sharing her unsure expression. Qrow silently nodded, eyes locked on Oscar, whose power swiftly grew into a thick sphere as Gohan stared it down.

The power built and swole, cane against the rooftop as if drawing power from the Universe itself.

Gohan barely felt his hair stand on end as Ozpin struck at last, launching himself and the sphere of power like a meteor. He barely entered a guarded stance as the attack was brought to bear on the boy. His eyes widened at the sudden force, _immeasurably_ different from the paltry resistance they'd given before. He slid back, heels digging into the red clay and leaving a tract in the ground as he tried again and again to overpower Ozpin. It wasn't happening.

There was no choice. With a high pitched two-pronged sound like shredding spacetime, the same white flames erupted over Gohan's body as before, and he strained as he brought the pair to a stop.

" _RrrrraaaaaaAAAAAAUGHHHH!"_

Gohan punched forward, the dome of power shattering as a shockwave rattled everything, dust shaking from timber and the watching Huntsmen blown from their very feet as it all settled.

Oscar staggered, drained. All looked up to see Gohan still standing, his aura surging, his face still warlike from the effort.

"It took nothing less than magic to even phase you… yet I don't sense a _shred_ of it in you. _Incredible_ ," Ozpin said at last. _"Impossibly_ incredible _…"_

Gohan seemed to remember something as he looked over himself, the furious power flashing out of existence as suddenly as it had arrived. He pondered a moment before something flat tapped him on the head. He turned to see Ruby Rose, leaned over and beaming at him.

"No tag-backs…" she told him, mussing his hair.

He smiled.

* * *

"Ready…!

His red eyes bore a hole into the reading on his scouter. It had been brief… _so_ brief… and it was gone by the time he turned his head.

"Aim…!"

Frieza knew the reading was paltry, barely a step up from the meaningless power levels scattered across the planet. But even so…

" _Fire!"_ cried the lieutenant, before Shade's inner courtyard flared with the flash of a dozen rifles, as it had all morning since dawn. The since appropriated Minutemen, clad in bright blue, wasted no time in dashing after the lifeless forms that crumpled to the floor… wheelbarrows in tow.

In truth, the courtyard was an indoor well to the hollow pyramid, lit only by golden shafts from slit-windows surrounding the very tip of the academy. Palm trees stretched overhead from manicured planters.

The sovereign of space idly tilted the contents of a wine glass as he sat upon his new hover-throne, quietly presiding over the affair from the comfort of the… well… shade.

The Professor before him had prattled on with her report… 'Diana Henrys,' if he recalled. She wore great wire-rim spectacles, a suit of pewter with an adorable little red bow tie… yet the fragile-looking thing carried some manner of _whip_ on her belt. Poor compensation, in his opinion. At his right hand, Cagliuso Perrault, who like many were doing their best to ignore the _other_ happenings in the area, even as the smell of iron dominated the air.

"I'll hear nothing of pretense to failure," Frieza declared, attention still not fully given, "such basic information shouldn't require half a day's reprieve."

"Shade has never formally taught astronomy," Henrys explained, eyes steely and words measured, "other than, you know, 'low-tech' navigation. Our combat instructor headed that course _apart_ from his key duties, and you lost the pleasure of _his_ company in the first few volleys of—"

She paused, glancing at the next poor souls as they were led at gunpoint to the wall.

"The first few _trials,_ " she finished alternatively.

As they glanced, one of the paler-looking gunmen tremored, eyes to the middle distance, before swinging the rifle around to face his own head…

The captives screamed as he fired, eyes no less empty than they had been. Perhaps the trigger was merely formality?

"Lieutenant, add the late gentleman's surname to the list…" Frieza ordered casually, before turning back to Henrys. "Opening with an excuse is nothing if not unfortunate as a first impression, madam," Frieza said, voice like a razor. "I hope you've something of value to show me, if only for your own sake."

"I do," Henrys said, pulling out a great clear tablet as she began fluttering her fingers over it, eyes still agape at what had occurred seconds previously. "It took some doing, but we recovered and plotted data leftover from before the CCT system went down."

" _Fire!"_ the order came again, the shots and shrieks not even rousing the horned alien.

Frieza sighed. "I'm not grading you on your methodology, so might we _kindly_ proceed without further stalling?"

She nodded, swiping as the image on her screen expanded out into a true hologram, colored lights hanging in the air. Unmistakably, Remnant sat in the focus with its oddball satellite around a white/yellow sun labelled _'Luum,'_ with three rocky worlds of varying scale between them, three gas giants after and a huge terrestrial world rampant with geologic activity in spite of its icy surroundings.

"None else inhabitable, but hardly a surprise," Frieza droned. "Expand to local clusters."

Henrys complied, the representation of the cosmos shrinking as stars raced into view, all labeled with minor annotations beside them. Frieza's nostrils flared as he gave the most imperceptible noise.

"Nothing recognizable, no clear sustainables… Damnable thing…! _Galactic scale!"_ he ordered.

Stars flooded the view like dust, spreading into what tasted like infinity, and in moments they formed the ragged shapes of spiral arms encircling a brilliant golden sphere. One third of the mass wasn't filled in, incomplete and blocked from Remnant's gaze by the galactic center. It was a beautiful sight, but it left Frieza's eyes bulging, his teeth slowly sliding into sight as a vein throbbed dangerously on his temple.

" _Whaaaaaat?!"_ he hissed. "This… this is not the Milky Way! _WHAT WRETCHED CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE IS THIS?!"_

"We've always called it 'The Pinwheel,' " Henrys said, doing her best to remain static and helpful in the face of his building and monstrous rage. All occupants in the courtyard stopped to watch. Of all the tyrant had already wrought upon them… they had _never_ seen him angry before.

Cracks formed in the surrounding windows as the floor shook around him. His wine began to bubble in its glass. "Filter and identify the nearest neighboring galaxies, spiral bar, two-hundred thousand lightyears maximum diameter!"

Henrys tried her best to stay firm as she followed his instructions. The application she used didn't have the filtering features he asked for, but she found them all the same.

"There!" Frieza cried instantly as one of the selections appeared. "Plot it on the galactic map!" It was done, and he saw the gulf between himself and his ultimate goal. "Six _megaparsecs_ from this location…!" he growled, staring into the starry cloud as if it were behind impenetrable glass. "Even in state of the art craft, it would take _decades to reach…!"_

The wine glass shattered in his hand, the alcohol evaporating in a small flash. There was only silence as he growled. Nobody dared to move.

Ultimately however, the sounds of struggle reentered the area, the Lord himself not appearing to notice as a family of two was drug in. A woman clad in white, sleek black hair short and flat against her head, pleaded with the dead-eyed guardsmen. "I don't care, I don't care for me, but Atreya's innocent! It can't mean that! _It CAN'T mean that, I BEG you!"_

As she stood immobile, hunched over with her hands clasped, additional guards swept forward. It was less that she was being physically unruly, and more that she had become the center of attention in the same room as their new ruler.

And as this happened, a quiet patter escaped the guards notice, weaving past legs, bright eyes finding Frieza's.

"A'scuse me? Mister Frieza?"

Despite his swollen fury, he found himself roused by the voice, eyes settling on a figure in a tan dress. Thigh high, auburn haired, she approached without fear. She couldn't have been older than the tot who fought alongside Vegeta.

"Please, let mommy and daddy go, they didn't mean it."

The frantic woman's face peered around the guards in horror as the child stared Frieza in the face. "Oh _gods…!_ Atreya, come here, come to Mommy, please!"

The girl glanced to her mother, not answering. "Mommy's been sad all day. Could you please make her smile again? It's okay to be mad _sometimes,_ but you don't have to be mean to people."

Frieza's face, to the shock of all, softened as the new Lord of Vacuo stepped off his throne and approached pleasantly. "Dear child, is that a thing your mother taught you?"

"Yeah," she answered. "She says even if they do a bad thing, 'two wrongs don't make… a right.' "

Frieza gave a humming laugh as he put a hand upon the child's head, the mother in question speechless and frozen. "The simplicity of children… endearingly ignorant, and so unquestioningly loyal."

The girl barely understood his words, but all the same took on the thinnest smile as sharp-nailed fingers ran along her cheek.

"Is your father here then?" Frieza asked, eyes scanning the crowd beside the girl's mother.

"I dunno, mommy won't _tell_ me," Atreya said, lip upturned in frustration.

"Ah, shame… _My_ father and I are indelibly separated as well now. But fret not, young one," Frieza said. "The merciful Lord Frieza shall lift of you _your_ woes."

Her eyes brightened as the hand on her cheek turned upward, and she followed its course down, face alight with curiosity until it was over her chest.

With a sound like a suppressed pistol firing, two of Frieza's knuckles lanced forward and recoiled in the blink of an eye, the girl's eyes flashing wide as she gave a short and surprised "Uh…!"

She fell back, blue faced and vacant as her mother shrieked her name, clawing her way forward and escaping the grip of the guards. The other soldiers were hot on her heels when she finally arrived over the child's still form, cradling her head as she stared into unseeing eyes, the light of surprise having yet to leave them. "Atreya…! Wake up, _please…! Don't do this to me…!"_ she sobbed, lifting her from the floor. _"Don't do this to me…!"_

"Do nothing," Frieza ordered with dispassion as the guards made to grab the woman, "my word, gentlemen, let the poor thing _have_ this," he admonished, unable to suppress the gleam in his eyes.

"You… you'll _die_ _for this…!"_ she said, not meeting Frieza's gaze as she wept. "You'll _die…!"_

A smile filled Frieza's face. "Such empty threats… Would you have preferred she face the wall with you? I'd call this nothing less than _mercy_. _"_

" _MERCY?!"_ she demanded, finally locking eyes, her face sodden and her eyes red. "You're an _ANIMAL!_ And you'll be _put down like one…!"_

He turned his back, rolling his eyes as he made to climb back into his throne. "An earthquake stays not its wrath for the sake of the city… nor does a mountain relent when the vulnerable cross the path of a landslide. Nor shall I deny my own destiny… For the worthless, least of all.

"So yes… I call it mercy. Ask it of any _other_ force of this Universe… I promise you'll receive _far_ less for it. Take her away."

The guards wrestled with her as she clutched the child's body, steadily dragging her towards the firing line.

"No no, you cretinous dullards," Frieza said his anger slipping even as he masked his mirth. "Escort the good lady to her home."

" _Que…?"_ Perrault whispered, certain he like everyone else had heard wrong.

"What are you talking about…?" the grieving mother demanded. "What point is there? There's nothing more you could take from me…!"

Frieza smiled. "I don't think even _you_ believe that's true."

"Sir," the guard dared, "she threatened your life."

"Yes, and it is _exactly_ that which I invite, are you _not paying attention?_ ," Frieza said with contempt.

The woman drew herself to full height, still shielding the child from his gaze as she shook with hatred. "If this is a _game_ , then know I won't play it! I'll end my own life before I become your entertainment!"

Frieza laughed. "Oh, feel free! You don't matter enough for me to care either way, but can you _really_ resist the chance to _indulge_ in your hatred? To avenge your fallen and succumb in peace? Could you even _live_ with not having even _tried?_ Could you even _die_ with that knowledge, Miss…?"

" _Mrs._ Kaiserin Monden," she told him, _"you demon wretch…!"_

Frieza's smile widened. "I'd use that old phrase about 'sticks and stones,' but _they_ would avail you nearly as well… Ta-ta…"

She was led away, glaring, Henrys and Perrault glancing cautiously at Frieza's back as he sighed.

The Lord himself watched on as a musclebound youth, one of the fighters they called 'Huntsmen,' was brought before the pitted wall as another volley was prepared.

" _Fire!"_ the lieutenant ordered, all crumpling in pain but the Huntsman, his golden aura taking the blows.

" _Fire!"_ he repeated, every shot now trained on the survivor, who winced and struggled.

Frieza was, in truth, _livid_ still, even as he smiled darkly. _Never_ had he been so wronged. Ripped away from all he'd built, but _he_ would be the one standing over their bodies in the end.

The killing was never enough. Killing was efficient, methodical. It was about removing an obstacle in the most expedient manner. There was only so much pleasure to be taken in it. He could have vaporized Henrys, blasted the vengeful woman apart, brought the entirety of Shade Academy down upon their heads, such was his _fury!_

" _Fire!"_

But no… No, indeed, he thought, as another volley chipped away at that little shield, the boy wincing… _Torment_ wrought true joy… and most deliciously, they often did it to _themselves_.

" _Fire!"_

Defiance, the fight to the bitter end, the tragic delusion that they might somehow escape it with their lives. They _could_ just surrender and accept their fate, ease their own pain… but they wouldn't. Too proud, enraged or sanctimonious to lie down and die as they should.

" _Fire!"_ came the order again, his aura buckling at last as he screamed.

They did it to themselves… and Lord Frieza was so _thankful_ for their cooperation.

The final shots rang out.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I hear people say I remind them just how cruel Frieza can be… good!**_

 _ **I must once more apologize for the length between updates. Been a lot to take care of. And ALSO apologize for this chapter's length given the span. Remember, I always keep a chapter shelved, so the most recent one I finished is NOT the one you see. Latest chapter is nearly 17k words, and some major stuff goes down. I also apologize for the emphasis on RNJR and dialogue. This story has a LOT going on, and believe me, I'm not wasting a WORD in explaining it. I'm doing my best not to make it dry, but little of this is "showable" as opposed to "tellable," or if it is I'm stumped as to how. Rest assured, it's all necessary information.**_

 _ **Also I know Ozpin vs Gohan isn't terribly much, but I promise some serious action is coming to far eclipse that.**_

 _ **Speaking of… I know some of you are foaming at the mouth over Ozpin gaining any ground, but as will be explained later, magic in Dragonball Z is some serious stuff. Not only reality altering, but people with ZERO power like Babidi were able to ward off or manipulate characters like Vegeta and Piccolo and mindslave Dabura. That's not even considering the Dragonballs themselves. Magic is not equal to power… but on Remnant, certain people do muddy the water, because that magic is tied to their Aura… their Shou-ki.**_

 _ **So I guess this is also the point where I tell you that the Yang/Raven part of the plot was originally meant to be much different. Before Volume 5, I'd taken Qrow's hints and all the clues we got in Volume 4 to say Raven had the Spring Maiden… and created a character named, I'm not kidding… 'Verna'. I can prove this was pre-V5 with my writings earlier in the year, but yes. She was meant to be a child, a second daughter of Raven and the sister Yang had never known, and Yang would eventually fight Raven to escape and free Verna from there.**_

 _ **Ultimately, if you couldn't tell by VERNAL existing in this version, I relented to sticking by the canon arrangements. Largely this was because Verna became something of a tagalong and I had nothing for her to do after the first act, aside from possibly getting murdered by Cinder or something awful like that. She distracted from Yang and Ruby's sisterhood and even detracted somewhat from Ruby and Gohan's adorable thing. So Verna got the axe and I refurbished what I was going for. Act 1 and 3 of this story are the most set in stone, but Act 2 is where things are less certain for me. A lot of general direction and major events to link, but it's the place where the writing will be the most spontaneous as I thread A to B.**_

 _ **Oh, and here's a little challenge for you guys! I introduced a few less important but NAMED original characters this chapter. I often do this as long as it's not a guard or random bandit usually, and you can bet dollars to doughnuts if they have a name and description, they're probably named for something from a fantasy book or movie or something. Because that's what RWBY's all about, right!**_

 _ **Also yeah! Remnant is in another galaxy! The West Galaxy, specifically. So THAT'S a thing…**_

 _ **What else… Oh right! So my buddy Sivam who writes "This War of Mine" and "Pride of Four" recently got the former a page in TV Tropes' section on Fanfiction! Congrats man! Also, watch out, I'm creeping my way there…**_

 _ **He and XMan both certainly inspired my desire to write something of my own, and I'm glad to see now specifically that TWOM is taking a far different course than I am on most things… but I won't deny, as that story has approached its conclusion, that's largely because I really don't agree with a lot of his decisions in regard to certain themes and characters. Namely the RWBY villains, who he's basically turned into second stringers, thus trivializing RWBY's plot as little more than something to brush aside on the way to the real threat. Anyone reading THIS chapter can compare our takes on Salem and tell you we have a very different notion of these characters.**_

 _ **And that's not to say that Salem in Transposition F is somehow going to hulk out and supercede Frieza. No, not even close. But there are other ways to foster a threat, and when it comes to crossing with DBZ, highballing the unknown elements is not a bad place to start in avoiding characters soloing an entire Universe.**_

 _ **I can't however fault his protagonists who he's handled very well. And Chapter 9 was actually enough to send me into a sort of emotional shock-conniption. Dear god, I can only HOPE to inspire such a strong emotion in my own readers. Perhaps I have, but it's hard to know.**_

 _ **But yeah. He's admitted that it was always Gohan's story and Gohan's fight ultimately, and we're clearly writing two very different kinds of stories… but it does make reading it all frustrating in ways, and drives me to put this story out with the vision that I —surprise surprise— like rather better. To put it lightly.**_

 _ **But hey, we all think we know best, don't we? The point is, diversity of ideas is a good thing, and ultimately people vote with their attention.**_

 _ **Here's to next chapter not taking so long! I think you guys will like it!**_

 _ **Peace ~**_


	7. Motherhood: Part I

"Soooo then, Son… do you mind if I _call_ you 'Son?' "

"Naaaaah… Just 'Goku' is fine."

"I see I see… So Tai tells me you come from a ways off."

Bartholomew Oobleck poked and prodded the bedridden barbarian taking up residence on the living room couch with surprising speed. Suffice to say, whatever he'd been expecting was worlds away from the man before him.

"That's right! First from Earth," Goku said, before doubt visibly pried its way into his mind. "Oh no, _wait!_ I spent my _life_ on Earth, but I _guess_ I was _born_ on Planet Vegeta. I'm still not used to that."

"Yes yes yes…" Oobleck fired-off, swift but without a trace of condescension, his emerald hair static in spite of his speed. "And then you followed your friends to…" he led, fitting an otoscope to the Saiyan's ear.

"Planet Namek, yeah, after training up in fifty times gravity," Goku said, looking as though he were being pop quizzed.

"And then you arrived here… metaphorically speaking… on the wings of an enchanted wish dragon." Oobleck finished his task, lowering the tool and peering inscrutably at Goku through his wide round spectacles.

Goku nodded, having improved as much as to sit up without much pain. "Yeah, that's the size of things… and now this guy _Frieza_ is _here,_ and take it from me, man… he's a _pretty_ rough customer." His brow furrowed as he considered. It was quite the shift from the carefree manner by which he held himself. Even his voice had deepened in a way so unexpected yet natural that it surprised him. But then a smirk snuck in as quickly as his face had darkened. "Last I checked he's at _least_ twice as strong as me!"

"You seem… relatively unaffected by such a distressing fact," Oobleck noted… _literally_ scribbling in a handy legal pad. "Given of course that you were, evidently, the strongest of your world?"

Goku gave a sheepish grin as he chuckled. "It's not bragging if it's _true,_ right…?"

"Mmm," Oobleck intoned.

"For as long as I can _remember,_ I've always wanted nothing better than just a _chance_ to fight the strongest there is!" Goku explained, a spark in his eye. "It's a chance to test my strength, see what's _possible,_ see where I can _improve._ I see a guy double my weight-class, I'm worried a bit, sure… but I also see a way to leap forward! And I won't lie… this guy Frieza has had my attention since I heard about him…"

"Well I've heard worse reasons for self-improvement," Oobleck said, waving his scroll over Goku's limbs. "But from what you've described, you seem to fill a role we Huntsman strive for as well. That of a protector, combating that which others cannot."

The younger man sighed. "See, other folks have said that too, but… I don't know. It was never really _about_ that for me. I mean, if I see a guy who needs help I'm not gonna just walk away… but I've mostly stopped the bad guys because they were the toughest there _was._ It gets personal when my friends are in danger, yeah, but I'd have gone a few rounds with them evil or not."

"Hmm… so being your world's protector is more… _incidental_ … _?"_ Oobleck suggested.

"I… _guess?"_ Goku offered, fully aware he didn't know what the word 'incidental' meant.

"Forgive me, you've seemed a shade distracted."

Goku sighed, staring into the distance. "Yeah… it's my _son_ , Gohan."

"Son Gohan…"

"Yeah! My son, Gohan. I felt his power rise pretty drastically a little while ago."

"Yes, this… _energy sensory_ you've spoken of. You fear for his safety?"

"Well…" Goku started, eyes wincing, "Not over the guy he was _fighting._ They were together for a little while. And I'm pretty positive it was just training or something. What _worries_ me is whether Frieza picked it up. Can't get a real read on the g—"

He stopped dead as he spotted what Oobleck held in his hand: a shining steel syringe.

"Forgive me a moment, I just require a blood sample…"

* * *

Taiyang had been sitting on the porch, lazily playing fetch with the excitable Zwei. "Alright bud, you know it, bring 'er back!"

The hard rubber bone landed an instant before the corgi scooped it up, turning on a dime to gauge Taiyang's praise… and then dropped it as his ears drooped, head tilting in confusion as he heard and saw a disturbance through the windows of the lower floor.

"What's up, Zwei?" Taiyang asked, before the nearest window exploded.

A greenish blur accompanied sharded glass and broken wood casement as the Doctor recovered into a roll and handily swept back onto his feet, a red-spotted handkerchief gripped in the hand held against his hip. Zwei, meanwhile, began racing in frenzied circles, barking his head off as the air filled with Goku's screams.

" _What the?!"_ Taiyang exclaimed. _Bart?! My house!"_

Stoic against his own swift exit, Oobleck adjusted his glasses before taking a polite sip from his thermos. "Forgive me, Tai, I'm afraid I hadn't quite considered trypanophobia. A rather curious neurosis for an acclaimed interstellar champion. Still. Despite my doubts… quite _spirited."_

"You're saying _he_ did that?" Taiyang demanded, as Zwei began to howl to the pre-dawn sky in tune with Goku's wailing. "Barty, he's _bedridden."_

"As I said," Oobleck told him, " _quite_ spirited…"

Taiyang stared for a moment, before the duet of Zwei and Goku reached maddening levels. _"ZWEI!"_

The dog's mouth shut immediately, glancing at his owner with a whine.

"Come on, bud, you're _killin'_ me here."

"Mister Son!" Oobleck called, as the voice redoubled its efforts to shriek itself hoarse. "Calm down now, I don't need a blood sample anymore, I took a culture from one of your existing wounds!" he said. Holding the red-smeared cloth up.

The noise petered out in seconds, Goku ending with a simple, "Okay, Doc…" before there was silence at long last.

Taiyang took a deep breath before turning to his old friend. "So… your prognosis?"

"Unqualified as I am to give it," Oobleck lamented, flipping through data on his scroll. "You've a curious case indeed. The man is a healthy build, certainly. Unique muscle structure… almost _perfected_ , but nothing to suggest the absurdities he's told. _Most_ interesting are his injuries. Even by the standards of accelerated healing through _Aura_ , he has _very_ recent evidence of wounds and breaks, partly _patched_ by what I can only describe as _severely-rapid_ cell regrowth."

"Wait, so… maybe he has some kind of super-healing semblance?" Taiyang suggested.

Oobleck gave no gesture. "Ahhh, but the most curious thing _of all…_ the rapid regeneration _ceased._ Seemingly all at once. His injuries only _part_ healed before you both crossed paths. Such a semblance would only be interrupted by a depletion of Aura, which has been full to bursting for a great while per my measurements… and as _you've_ noticed, the man's Aura is as yet still sealed to him."

Taiyang frowned as he considered his words. "The guy _did_ say he was in some kind of healing machine before he got here. You're not telling me this 'alien transporter' business is…?"

"I couldn't say," Oobleck said. "Anything possible is possible once you've ruled out the _IMpossible_ … possibly. The only honest answer I can give you is… _'I don't know…' "_

"Great…" Taiyang sighed, "so is the guy at least likely to make it?"

"Oh, almost certainly," Oobleck told him. "Numerous breakages, sprains and muscular tears. But nothing that won't sort itself out with a bit of time. So with your girls having left the nest, I suppose you have a spare room?"

"Uh… I _guess_. You're staying?"

"If you don't mind. Without proper equipment or CCT servers to parse the data, it will take a while to check his blood for pathogens or genetic anomalies… alien or otherwise. And of course there's the matter of safety. It's only sensible to keep an extra body on staff in case things get out of hand."

"Hey, things don't get _that_ crazy around here, we're keeping him indoors."

"Oh, I didn't mean safety for _his_ sake…" Oobleck laughed, before going stone still. "I meant for _yours_."

"What, you think he's _dangerous?"_ Tai whispered.

"So hey, guys…!" Goku called from inside. "I turned on the TV, and some lady called Lisa Lavatory is saying something about a laser beam, and this place called Vacuum-o… Point is, can you show me where that is on a _globe?"_

The two stared at the broken window, bemused, before Oobleck answered, "Heaven help us if he is."

* * *

The Branwen camp was alight with activity. A bear that might have ripped the throat out of an Ursa roasted over a centerpiece of a towering flame. The raucous hooting and hollering was like a block party hosted by a biker gang. Every half hour a fight broke out, sanctioned or otherwise. Games of chance were played, from poker to arm wrestling to some odd game Yang had been watching a while involving dust crystals.

She had been sitting on a bench table, refusing to engage the thieves and killers, even as the most daring of them stared daggers in remembrance to their fight earlier… or sought knocking her to the ground for altogether _different_ reasons.

"You'd make a gargoyle self-conscious, y'know that?" Krillin said, arriving at her right and handing her a bowl full of stew. "Here. Apart from sleep, you'll need your strength for tomorrow."

She spared a smile. "What's in it?"

"What'd you think?" he asked, thumb jabbing over his massive shoulder pads. "Bear! Reminds me of my buddy Goku's cooking."

"Does bear meat _have_ a name?" she asked, stirring through it before taking a cautious spoonful.

"Doubt it."

An electric guitar shrieked as its owner was pelted with silverware, chiding his fellows to appreciate the art of art.

"So I've gotta tell ya, I feel a touch out of place," Krillin said, then tapping one of the surprisingly plush pauldrons on his shoulders, "not to mention… I can't decide if this is 'over-dressed' or 'under-dressed.' "

Yang gave a snort. "Got me. Meant to ask what the deal was with that outfit."

"Oh yeah… well, we were preparing for an attack, and the enemy's gear was all we had to work with. Definitely not my threads of choice. Like I was saying, I stick out like a sore thumb in this crowd… I mean, you mentioned looking for your kid sister and all, but I really didn't know I was horning in on a family affair."

"I'm sorry," Yang said, wincing at the earthy flavor as she tried a spoonful, "I should have said something before… you _really_ don't have to stick around if this isn't your speed."

Krillin smiled sympathetically. "Hey, no, it's _fine!_ Just wanted to make sure I was _wanted_ here, not just tagging along 'cause you're too polite to make me buzz off."

Yang sighed. "I came out here and wanted to face this alone, but… I didn't think finally _seeing_ her, speaking to her would be _this_ hard." She glanced over at him with a thin smile. "It's good to have a friend out here."

Krillin's eyes brightened. "Aw, well…"

Yang was silent a moment.

"So… this whole 'ki' thing, the other parts… You have any quick pointers?"

Krillin gave a humorless laugh. "Nothing that's gonna make you a better fighter _literally_ overnight."

She smiled. "Yeah, I didn't think so."

Krillin turned towards her. "Wow, you _really_ were in the dark about it… I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, you getting as strong as you've gotten without rising much higher than the basics. Where I come from, a guy in your weight class threatened the whole _world_ once… total domination if not for my buddy."

"I'm basic, but extraordinary," she droned, silent a moment before she raised a fist beside her head, miming her fingers spreading suddenly out to indicate her 'mind being blown.' "I… guess I don't know my own strength?" she suggested.

"Nah…" he opined. "There's something fishy going on with your world. Even if you don't have the skills, the fact that I can always _feel_ your energy… You'd think if you couldn't control it you'd be overusing it by accident, not totally in the dark…"

She scoffed. "Great, don't _I_ feel self conscious."

"Sorry…"

They were silent a while, just sifting through the stew as music wailed through the camp, the distant noise of insects barely audible beyond the thick walls.

"So you talked about this Frieza guy?" Yang asked finally. "Why do you think he's after you?"

Krillin coughed on his stew, balking at the suddenness of the topic. "Well it's not so much that… Where did _that_ come from? Don't you have _other_ things on your mind?"

"Right now, I _need_ to hear there's something worse than… _here,"_ she explained, eyes fanning the camp.

Krillin gave a grunt of assent. "Gotcha covered on _that_ one. It's not so much about Frieza finding _us_ specifically. _Anyone_ on this planet is fair game, even _kids_."

Yang's eyes narrowed as she conceived of this villain, a black, amorphous threat taking root.

"He's a sick-headed _nightmare_ turned solid and real," Krillin continued, eyes to the fire as his scant hair stood on end. "Apart from that, it's not like we stuck around to exchange pleasantries. He's a walking, talking death sentence. You don't _want_ his full attention. Even _half_ can get you killed."

Yang leaned to one side. "But you think you can _beat_ him?"

"Ha! Me?" he scoffed. "I'm nowhere _near_ his league. None of us were. First we're looking for a way to bring back our friends, next thing we know, we're playing _'keep-away'_ for our lives with the galaxy's most heinous. But if anyone could, I'd put money on my pal Goku."

"Eh, I'd put _my_ money on something different. We sharing spooky campfire stories?" a lanky blonde bandit asked, suddenly behind them.

Yang didn't hesitate. In a single fluid motion, she had her arm around his neck and pulled him forward to land flat on his back in front of them, smashing a crate to pieces.

" _Oooooh!"_ hissed the rest of the group that stood with him, before their laughter set in.

"Ey, Sorta," the tubby, curly brunette with them said, staring down at his chum, "where's yer' manners? Where I come from, that's how _we_ say 'hello!' "

"Hullo…" he groaned, before the shortest with his red hair and buck teeth brought up the rear.

"Locks, where you come from they sell tickets and popcorn to see, 'cause it don't actually exist."

The brute huffed, even as he dragged Sorta to his feet from the ground with one arm. "Even if it only exists in yer' mind, that _still_ means it exists, 'mai right?"

"Ugh… _miss_ us on that philosophy trash," the first of a set of auburn twin girls sighed.

"What do you want?" Yang demanded, tiring quickly of their monkey shines.

Sorta didn't miss a beat in spite of her tone. "Like I was _trying_ to say, since you're bored stiff, is _maybe_ we could invite ya' to a game a' Dust Buster."

"This stupid thing that's one step off crushing beer cans on your head?" Yang asked. "Look, I might punch people, but I'm not _that_ far on the tomboy spectrum. I _am_ still hoping to impress a guy someday."

The toothed one shook his head, still grinning. "So old fashioned! Come on, we're a progressive bunch. We see that, I _promise_ we'll _all_ be sufficiently _'impressed.' "_

Krillin's brows flattened.

"Just get lost, boys," Yang sighed.

"Ohhh… party-foul, hon'," Vernal said, stepping in from nowhere as the others immediately paled. "You're just no fun. _I_ play time to time, and last I checked I'm still an _'innie…' "_

" 'Innie?' " Krillin asked, bewildered.

Vernal looked at him with a smirk. "Watch out, your innocence is showing, _outie,"_ she jeered, giving a nod and pointed glance below his belt.

Krillin's eyes widened, cheeks reddening. "Fellas, can we exercise a little _class_ in front of the lady?"

" _I'm_ a lady, cueball," Vernal said as the others laughed. "Don't get the vapors on us, we're all adults here. Or I dunno, maybe _you're_ an innie too."

Krillin didn't find the group that approached them particularly mean-spirited, even as they chuckled at his expense. _Vernal_ had come with intent to antagonize.

Even so, Yang stood up, eyes like fire. "Leave him alone!"

If Krillin had expected anything, it wasn't this, as his new traveling companion went to bat for him.

"Whatever your _deal_ is, it's with _me,_ not _him!"_ Yang told her. "So if you want to _go,_ then we'll _go,_ right now! I'll kick your can in the dirt!"

Vernal's expression was inscrutable, caught somewhere between amusement and quiet rage. "Sounds hot… but anyway you take that, we'd need the Boss' blessing," she explained, the others chuckling illicitly. "And she'll probably gut _anyone_ who takes a shot at you before she can tomorrow."

"I don't care," Yang said, _"I'll_ be starting it."

"Yang," Krillin said, catching her eye as he shook his head. "Too much riding on tomorrow. You can't afford to wear yourself out."

"Let's Bust some Dust then," Vernal said, flipping a blue crystal into her hand. "It'll be cathartic. Really heightens the senses. And in this case… you get to see your opponent hurt a bit."

Yang stared at the pile of dust crystals in varying sizes. The game was simple enough to understand. Everyone crushed crystals of varying size and effect until one remained, the rest who either tapped out or _passed_ out from the pain.

"I thought dust was some valuable commodity," Krillin wondered. "You can afford just destroying it?"

"Eh, simple economics," Sorta said. "Had the stuff stockpiled for years, and we hit every cache around Anima. Not our _preferred_ source of income, see, but scalping dust back to buyers in an embargo works great in a pinch. Only so many takers though, so we've still got dust to burn."

"That smoothy Torchwick in Vale had the right idea," the second twin commented with a titter.

"More like a _crystal ball,"_ the first twin scoffed. "Probably living large these days."

"Not _living_ any size," Yang said, still staring at Vernal. "My sister saw him get picked off by a Grimm at Beacon. He's dead. And my uncle was pretty sure his dust heists were just to disarm Vale in time for the attack on Beacon. He was _very_ much involved. Ruby said he was working for _someone_. Probably that _freak_ Cinder."

Vernal's eyes closed as she snorted with laughter. Yang pounced on it. _"What?"_

"No idea who your 'Cinder' is, but _she_ knows who took down your school," Vernal teased.

" _Who_ knows?"

"Who _else?"_

Without another word, Yang reached into the dust pile and pulled out a grand red crystal formation in her left hand.

"Yang?" Krillin asked.

The crystal strained as cracks formed along it, but in another instant the area was buffeted and the small gang around them was blasted backwards as fire erupted from the crystal like a grenade had gone off.

Yang stalked out of the flames, her aura and semblance shimmering around her as though she were still ablaze herself. Krillin had only shielded his eyes of it and Vernal had scarcely flinched.

"Yang, hold on!" Krillin cried, chasing after as she wound her way through the camp.

Sorta returned to his feet, staring after the pair, scarcely aware of who he was now standing beside. "Now _that_ , fellas… is a _woman."_

He yelped as Vernal kicked his feet out from under him, a hand catching him by his blonde hair before he struck the ground. As he winced, she began walking the opposite direction, dragging him along the ground a few feet before simply dropping him on his face.

She walked off into the other side of camp, the man pushing himself back up. "What'd I say…?"

* * *

A slight tromping sound outside her tent was the only warning Raven received before a flaming fist parted the curtained entryway to her tent, a gout of flame soaring towards her.

But it was warning enough, as she twisted up from her lotus position on the floor, the handle of her blade unleashing an icy cascade which cancelled out the blaze without even raising the lethal end from its scabbard.

"What do you _know?!"_ Yang demanded storming in, but dropping the hostilities. "What do you know about the Fall of Beacon?!"

"Yang, please, stop it!" Krillin pled, passing the curtain and inside.

"I _knew_ that stupid mask of yours made me think of the White Fang!" Yang blurted, scarlet eyes alight. "So what's the connection?!"

Raven sighed. "Glad you came… but listen to yourself. Does this _look_ like a faunus sanctuary? Do _either_ of us have tails or two sets of ears? This mask is a symbol of _leadership_ here, nothing more."

" _Bullshit!"_ Yang swore, advancing a few steps. "Your _toadie_ out there told me you _know_ who was behind Beacon, and I want to know who!"

Raven nodded. "That's good. I'd be nicer to Vernal though. She's a bit conflicted about you being here. As for _who_ … you were chasing your own tails all over Vale with the White Fang."

Yang's brows knit as she listened. "What does _that_ mean?"

Raven looked her in the eye. "The White Fang and Roman Torchwick were the frontmen. They were the face _she_ wanted to be seen, the scapegoats she _needed_ to pit the faunus and humanity against themselves, even while they did _her_ dirty work."

" 'She?' " Krillin asked, all the more bewildered.

Raven scoffed. "The true enemy of _all_ of us. The mind behind the Grimm, and one of Ozpin's many guarded secrets. They call her 'Salem.' "

"What are you _really_ hiding?!" Yang cried. "That doesn't make sense, the Grimm attack when they sense negativity, there's no _intelligence_ behind it! And why do you keep bringing up Ozpin?!"

"She doesn't _actively_ control every Grimm," Raven explained. "It's like the whole species is one big body, and each monster is just a dumb blood cell. But she _does_ command them when she needs to… she's just subtler. Did you actually think a giant _Grimm Dragon_ was just lurking under the hilltops? Secrecy plays into Salem's hands, and if the Grimm were obviously acting strategically, people might investigate higher brainpower in the things."

Yang nodded violently, lip stiffened. "Okay, right! _Sure!_ I have _every_ reason to buy into this!"

Raven rolled her eyes with a smile, turning to a nearby mirror. "You know they say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit? But you're right. You shouldn't just _believe_ what you're told. There's a world of possibility far beyond what your schools and your kingdoms have prepared you for."

"And who made _you_ the _anointed receiver of Truth_ among us other sheep?" Yang asked, eyes boring a hole in Raven's back as she fiddled through a drawer for something.

"Ozpin," she said simply. "He's no ordinary man. Been fighting Salem in secret for thousands of years. He's existed as hundreds of men, reincarnating into a new person every time he dies. He's fought a secret war _everyone_ has a stake in, and they don't even know it."

"And why tell _you?"_ Yang asked pointedly, growing steadily impatient as she tried to glimpse around her mother's shoulders to what she was fiddling with.

"It wasn't so much _me_ , as Team STRQ," Raven said, pulling out a handful of worn, ancient looking photos and shuffling them. Yang's eyes flew wide. "Every generation Ozpin picks a select circle, the ones he finds promising, and… treats them a bit _differently_ from the other students. Bending rules, making odd exceptions, inducting students beyond their years… Yeah, starting to sound like Déjà vu yet?"

Yang tried her best to ignore Raven's cut deck of memories. "When are you going to _get_ that I don't _believe_ you! You're telling me Dad, Qrow and _Summer_ all hid this from us… and what, that my team was going to be chosen to _save the world?"_

Raven looked up, pondering the question."Summer wouldn't have burdened you with that at the age you remember her. Tai and my brother thought you _'deserved to have a normal childhood,'_ but taught you what they knew about fighting regardless."

"Okay, until _you_ start making sense or _prove_ any of this, I'm _walking_ …" Yang threatened. She made to turn to the entrance, but in a flash of movement, both of them saw Raven race past a mannequin wearing another set of her armor… and a sleek black bird emerge mid flight on the other side, the photos dropping to the floor in a flutter.

"Whoa!" Krillin exclaimed as they watched it flit to Yang's shoulder, scarlet eyes meeting her own.

Yang couldn't help her demeanor shifting from anger to wonder as Krillin stepped around the dummy in an inquisitive circle, only giving her a shrug.

"She didn't just _really_ turn into a…?" he began."

"I… I've _seen_ this bird before…" Yang said quietly as her eyes kept widening.

"Where?" Krillin asked.

" _Everywhere,"_ she answered, mind racing as her mind sought to recall every time she'd heard the bird's call, a flutter of hidden wings, glimpsed the sleek shape staring from a nearby perch…

The bird leapt from her shoulder and glided to the floor, and the discarded, discoloured photos.

Yang felt a jolt as she saw images of… _herself._ Images from when she was very young. She saw herself at Ruby's age, walking home with her friends from Signal, taken by some unknown photographer. She saw family shots, innocuous things she recalled going missing, but they had taken several such pictures anyway. She saw herself in a crib, staring happily up at the unknown cameraman, a pale feminine hand in black fingerless gloves stroking her cheek…

The bird found her shoulder again, and she looked up with a jolt. She hadn't even noticed Krillin peering over to see as well. He backed off immediately, but she could only turn to find the red eyes of the great black bird.

" _...Mom…?"_

The bird gave a light caww, before hopping off and circling behind her. She only saw Krillin's jaw drop, before she turned herself to see the softest expression she'd ever seen on her mother's face.

"I guess _I_ felt you deserved it too," Raven told her quietly. "I'm not usually taken with sentimentality… but you've always been my greatest weakness. Even if I could have flown down and told you everything… I couldn't bear to sully that smile. So I just watched. Watched whenever I could."

"You…" Yang began, utterly disarmed. "What _was_ that? How did you _do_ that?"

Raven smiled. "Would you believe me if I said it was magic?"

"No! I…"

"Ask your uncle about it sometime, he knows that trick too. Ozpin did _that_ for both of us so we could be better spies."

"Th… There's no such thing as _magic,"_ Yang said, with no conviction whatsoever. She glimpsed the image of her infant form again, eyes slamming shut as they burned against her every will.

Krillin finally saw fit to chime in. "Well I can say from experience how _that's_ not true. We deal with a wish-granting dragon where I come from. That's how I _literally_ just appeared on that road."

Yang sighed. "Krillin, _now's_ not the…"

"That's… nothing I've ever heard of," Raven admitted. "But as little reason as you have to trust my word, I _swear_ it's the truth."

"Oh! And why _is_ that?!" Yang countered. She refused to be fooled. She wouldn't be taken in like this… Parlor tricks and photos proved _nothing._ "The most bizzare things I've ever heard, that everyone I've ever trusted _lied_ to me, _from the person that abandoned me the first chance she...! The first..."_

A sprawl of emotions crossed Raven's face, but ultimately she took a breath, the center of her brow rising even as Yang turned her back with a scowl.

"You're wrong…" Raven said quietly. "But it's how you _should_ feel. I won't deny it. But I did what I did to _protect_ you."

"Protect me? From _what?!"_ Yang blurted, eyes glassy even as she refused to look at anyone.

"The more I worked with Ozpin, the more I realized his folly. Always rallying champions to fight Salem head-on, but he failed to mention just how many teams like ours, generation upon generation, had tried and failed. _Thousands_ of years of them! Team STRQ were among the fortunate ones… only _one_ of us perished in the fight."

Yang couldn't help sparing a scandalized glare. "You're dragging _Summer_ into this?! That's what you're saying? Summer's mission was for fighting this _'Grimm Queen'_ whatever? _She_ was the mother I never _had!"_

"And I'm thankful for that…!" Raven said, voice quivering. "Summer was my _best friend,_ and I'll _never_ forgive Ozpin for putting this heroism nonsense in her head! So enamored of her Silver Eyes, and how she alone had a chance to end this war forever!"

"Eyes?" Yang questioned. Her breathing had switched entirely to her mouth, nostrils too eager to give a traitorous sniffle. "What do her eyes have to do with—?"

"The Silver-Eyed Warriors are a rare breed of people from aeons past. Their eyes were known to grant them terrible power, stop any Grimm with a mere glance, for starters…" Raven said, eyes wide and gaze distant. "I've seen it with my own eyes. Summer was our greatest weapon… but she had your sister, and even after the team fell apart, she was _convinced_ she alone could make the world safe for her family. She left to find Salem alone, in her realm, _Evernight._ A place Salem controls, where nothing leaves or enters without her express consent."

Her countenance fell, a thick haze of regret fogging her vision as she stared into the mirror. "We went after her. I was back with the Tribe by then, but Ozpin saw fit to tell me anyway, and I didn't hesitate if it meant saving her. But she never came out…"

Raven's blade cleaved through the mirror, a perfect diagonal slice carved off it. It hadn't even cracked until it struck the floor. "Now, Ozpin wants to use your sister just as he used Summer. He _never_ learns. He'll only lead her to the same tomb as her mother, because Salem cannot be _beaten_ , only thwarted. Only delayed."

Yang's heart raced in spite of herself for the mention of her sister. "Ruby?! But why? Ruby doesn't have—"

"Yes, while no doubt talented for her age. Your sister didn't seem particularly special, but all the accounts I've heard about the Fall of Beacon form a pattern I couldn't mistake." Raven said, scowling to herself. "Your sister has the gift as well. I don't doubt she's aware of it if she's gone out on Ozpin's crusade… To think that after Summer, my brother would still fill _her_ head with ideas. They say failing and repeating the same strategy in the hope of progress _defines_ madness, and it looks to be _catching."_

Yang couldn't find a response. Madness certainly surrounded this conversation, but now she was uncertain where it lied.

"Four relics of immense power sit beneath the Huntsman schools. Ozpin has kept them in defensible, but obvious places, counting on his flimsy walls and Huntsmen to ward Salem away. Never has he made to _use_ the damn things against her. All his fear of such power, his faith in ancient ways… he's a dangerous man, Yang. A savior humanity can ill afford to trust."

"So trust _you?!"_ Yang cried at last. "When you _ran?_ When so many _needed_ you? When _I_ needed you?!"

"I'm just… gonna… yeah…" Krillin muttered, stepping quickly outside as the conversation became deeply personal.

" _Everything_ I've done the past eighteen years was for _you!"_ Raven shot back, anguish in her face. "If I was to do as I planned… then I was the _last_ person that needed to be near you."

She walked idly to one of the tent supports, upon which hung her unsettling white helmet. "Your grandfather… the _last_ leader… was _killing_ our Tribe. Stuck to old ways, not allowing outsiders… nor the _children_ of outsiders. We were becoming weak, inbred. I couldn't bring you with me like I wanted. We'd have been killed for it."

She stared into the helmet's eyes, fingers grazing over its sleek surface. "Qrow was always meant to be leader, but not _me_ … my _father_ was old fashioned like _that_ too. I challenged and _killed_ him in single combat, to mend this Tribe for you." She turned to catch Yang's eye. "I hoped that _one day_ you could join me here, in the place I've made for you, in a family I've changed and strengthened!"

"But _why?"_ Yang asked, more lost and conflicted by the moment. "We _had_ a place, we _had_ a home!"

Raven stared into the floor past her. "Knowing what I know about Salem, I can't sit and do nothing. Your father stopped fighting, but I _couldn't…_ especially once I… once I saw _you_ in my arms."

Yang felt her anger soured once more, and a strong part of her wished she'd just _stop_ , as she felt another sting around her eyes.

"Salem doesn't care who crosses her path," Raven continued. "A good human is a _dead_ one. But that doesn't mean she won't seek leverage against her enemies. I left… because to leave the day you were born… if .. if you _hated_ me…" Her breathing faltered as her face sagged. "If it were _clear_ I didn't care about my own child, then _certainly_ I didn't care about _anyone…_ so using loved ones against me would be _pointless."_

Numbness overtook Yang again… and she just wished something would tell her how to feel. "You… you _wanted_ me to _hate_ you…?"

Raven's hands wrung together as her posture closed off. "I… I'm sorry… I know it was _hard…_ but I watched you when I could... saw you _grow._ I was always in your shadow. You've become so _strong…"_

"I-if…" Yang began, rubbing under her eye, "If you care _so much,_ then what was all that 'saved only once' crap Qrow talked about? If you can just _show up_ when I'm in trouble, why did you let _this_ happen to me?!" Yang cried, arm dropping with a hiss and a thud as she pointed her stumped forelimb.

Raven stared at it a moment, before shutting her eyes. "That's what I told Qrow… I wasn't certain I had the spine to uphold it, though."

" _What...?!"_ Yang whispered.

"You were powerful, Yang… but reckless, immature. That girl you fought would have _killed_ you had I not intervened, but I knew you didn't know that. You didn't grow from that situation or take your fights more seriously. Like a child that's fallen… I needed to let _you_ learn to take the hit and pick yourself back up."

" _So you let that guy MAIM me?!_ I _lost_ a part of my _body!"_ Yang shouted, finally able to tap into her rage again.

"And look at you now…" Raven said with a smile, hand sweeping as she regarded her daughter, "getting along quite well without it. You're focused, sharp. _Stronger_ than before. _Smarter._ Not a _trace_ of that silly, wisecracking flirt I saw before."

Yang's pupils shrank, and she mentally looked over herself as she considered. "You… Well _hold on!_ Sure, I got a new _arm,_ but you didn't know _what_ that guy was gonna do! What if he'd taken my _head?!_ You would have let me _die_ because I wasn't _exactly_ how you wanted me to be?! _"_

Raven's eyes closed slowly. "No… I didn't know. It wasn't an easy decision, but… I couldn't protect you forever. And if he _had_ …" She paused, arm shaking as her teeth showed. "I'd have avenged you, and he'd have suffered like _nobody_ will for a _thousand years…!_ But you _needed_ to be strong enough to survive the world as I know it. If you couldn't… I'd only be delaying the inevitable."

Yang looked at her, in a swoon with the emotions wracking her mind. "Your head is so _tweaked…"_

Raven shrugged, a sad grin on her face. "Perhaps. I suppose I couldn't tell if it was. But my _heart_ isn't. I know, because even if you failed, even if you weren't _anything_ like me… I can't help but see myself _loving you._ It's against every creed of our Tribe… but here? I'm _weak…"_

Yang _hated_ her own feelings as her eyes burned. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she breathed. Why couldn't she _just_ let her… This was _so much harder…_ "I-It's not _weakness_ to love your own kid."

"Doesn't matter _what_ it is," Raven said, shaking her head, "it's not changing." She was silent a moment, before finally taking a step toward her. "Yang please… don't try to fight me tomorrow. There's so much we can _do!_ So much I can _show_ you! We can handle this fight as it _should_ be done, as mother and daughter! You'll be my heir, to this place, to my people… and _so_ much more in time! More than you can _imagine!"_

Yang squeezed her eyes shut. "I was so _sure_ of who you were when Qrow told me you led a pack of thieves and killers… but it doesn't _have_ to be that way! Come _with_ me!"

"I can't do that," Raven said. "I'm not welcome in your kingdoms as anything but a prisoner… Their world is _doomed_ as it is, Yang. Men weren't meant to live like that, and against Salem and her Grimm, they _can't_. Only the strong, close-knit and uncompromising, can weather the coming storm."

"But people like _them?!"_ Yang said, hand waving across to the camp outside. "People who steal and exploit and murder—?!"

"The weak only survive so long as they have the protection of the strong, and the strong only protect the weak when there's something to be gained from it. My people are no different from yours. Peace… war… all of it decided and enforced at the point of a blade.

"Here, we embrace the truth of things… The weak die… that the strong may survive. _That_ is the Law of Branwen… because _that_ is the law of the _world."_

Yang stared. It was all she could do. "Well that's not what _I_ believe. I'm a Huntress, like my _mother was_ … and still could be."

She turned finally towards the exit, picking up her detached arm and locking it back in place.

"Yang," Raven said, just before she could leave. "If we fight tomorrow… you won't win. I can't show weakness in front of my people… so I can afford you no quarter."

Yang fixed her with a long look. "I might surprise you."

She left at last, Krillin stumbling as the curtain opened to reveal him standing just on the other side. Raven turned her back, returning to her lotus position. "You won't."

* * *

"Qrow…" Ozpin asked, his youthful voice worn and wearied, "might I have your thoughts?"

They stood in the sitting room. It had been an exceedingly long night, and Gohan had explained his wondrous history and abilities for the benefit of the two senior Huntsmen.

Qrow whipped around out of his pacing. "My _thoughts?_ How's turning reality on its head for thoughts?! The kid tore you all _apart_ and barely expended any effort for it!"

Ozpin nodded. "I've been bested before, but this was different. Our _current_ 'Fall Maiden' was the most sound defeat I've experienced, and I _made_ her work for that distinction. But _this…"_

"But if he's to be believed, _now_ there's this thing out there that scares _HIM,"_ Qrow added, as alert as though he'd just been punched in the head. He shook it instead. "This'd be the last thing Remnant needs."

Oscar turned to the boy of the hour. "Gohan, it isn't possible this… _'Frieza'_ is one and the same with the being we call Salem? I'm aware you claim to be of… somewhere _else_ , but—"

"No," Gohan said immediately. "I don't know how old Frieza is, but I'm pretty sure he's not _thousands_ of years old. He wanted the Dragonballs so he could be immortal."

Ozpin considered, Oscar's eyes peering into the end of his cane as he rested his hands upon it. "Agelessness and immortality are not one and the same, but if Salem feels any apprehension over her own shortcomings she doesn't let on to that fact. An implicit fear of death doesn't sound like her at all..."

"Well, what's he look like?" Ruby asked helpfully.

"Hey, _yeah!"_ Nora added. "Salem too!"

Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "I believed I had described her _somewhat."_

"Well… yeah," Jaune said, "but red eyes and white skin isn't a lot to go on."

Ren gave a nod. "It _would_ help if we could actually _identify_ our foes."

Ozpin looked to Qrow, both wordlessly deciding.

"Agreed," Ozpin said. "Salem's appearance, unfortunately is rather… _plastic_. Most times our paths have crossed, she's taken a slightly different appearance from before. The few constants are, as I've mentioned, stark white skin… dark veins generally cover it. Her hair is nearly the same shade… red, slitted eyes… Apart from that, very human-looking, but you will _know_ her when you _see_ her."

"Doesn't _sound_ like Frieza," Gohan said, his voice low. "He's this short white and purple guy with horns… he has these holes in his head instead of ears, though I think most of the aliens we ran into were like that… His eyes…"

Gohan visibly shuddered, and the room felt several degrees colder. "He stares at you like… I don't know… not like he's _hungry_ … but…"

It became clear he wasn't going to finish. Ruby put a hand on his shoulder as she looked to Oscar. "This Frieza thing… I've… Gohan helped me _feel_ it. His power sensing thing… he let _me_ get a glimpse of that, and… I don't know how to describe what I felt. I just know it felt _enormous._ We're not _ready_ for something like that."

Ozpin looked her in the eye and turned, finding a chair and collapsing into it delicately. "This… sense. Does this Frieza have it? Can he find you?"

Gohan shook his head. "Not _really_. He and his goons have these gadgets over their eyes that can though. But I've been hiding my power level, pushing it down so he can't find me. But you'd know all about that."

Oscar's eyebrows rose. "I'm not sure I take your meaning."

"Well, don't get me wrong," Gohan said, palms out, "your power level looks pretty high, but I didn't even _feel_ you raise it for that _last_ attack. Your full power would have given us trouble only a few days ago."

Oscar's head tilted. "How so?"

Gohan paused a moment, meeting the hazel gaze as though waiting for the boy to crack a smile. "Well, like… if I'd cut the power I used to cancel your attack loose on this mountain, it'd be half gone if I didn't diffuse it right."

Jaune gulped at the statement, the others once more behaving as though they had learned the boy was a living crate of nitroglycerin. "You…"

"Y'wuh…?" Nora finished for him.

Ozpin's eyes grew somehow wider. "Gohan… I think I know what you're referring to, but I assure you… despite the powers I possess… I can't do anything like that."

Gohan blinked. "Then… how did—"

"What I _did_ was tap into my magic," Ozpin explained. "Magic is, as you might attest… a curious thing. It breaks rules, vaults boundaries. Makes possible what is elsewise _im_ possible.

"What you describe fits into what I refer to as _'Arcane Windchill'."_

"Uh… wind?" Ruby wondered aloud.

"Wind _chill_ ," Ozpin corrected. " In which the effect of wind _feels_ colder, while truly the environment surrounding you hasn't actually changed. Magic is capable of grand, impossible things, but it is not _itself_ a force of great raw power. I can breach impenetrable defenses, within reason, but I could not devastate a landscape. My aura has _something_ of a correlation, as it's bonded to my magic… but I can only surmise _this_ is how I gained any ground on you at all."

None of them said anything. Qrow was already pinching the bridge of his nose, blinking with exhaustion. "This is _all_ a lot at once, Oz…"

Oscar nodded. "Yes. And as dire as our long-term circumstances may be, we have only the _near_ future to prepare for now. Task ourselves with Salem's doings here in Mistral.

"Though while we're on the subject of Maidens and Salem… Qrow, I'm to understand you arranged some manner of decoy, in regard to Spring?"

Qrow touched his chin as he gazed skyward. "Ah, right… that. Nothing long term, exactly…"

* * *

Tyrian Callows edged closer and closer to the cozy little cabin in the woods. He'd just seen the little tart throw water out the side window. A fire flickered across from it as her figure passed in front of it. Probably off to bed… he _so_ hoped she wasn't _too_ tired yet. Flicking his blades out, he dove through the window which shattered with a piercing sound in the quiet of the forest. He gave a victorious laugh as he filled the dim room with muzzle flashes, his guns peppering the woody walls as light strobed over it all.

And in an instant he stopped, his manic glee replaced with staggering confusion as he beheld a number of contraptions in the blink of an eye. A pillow attached to some metronome-like device before the fireplace. A series of dripping pipes from the ceiling leading to the window he'd entered. A number of red, blinking lights that were only blinking more and more rapidl—

Tyrian next found himself flying through the woods, surrounded by splinters and the great fireball that had blown the cabin as near to hell as one might ask. In the moments he had to ponder before he struck the ground, he promised _great pain_ for this treachery, alight with fury, and alight with… well, fire...

* * *

"Heh," Qrow chuckled to himself appreciatively. "Gotta love a classic though…"

"Well, hey," Ruby began, trying to look chipper, "at least we've got a secret weapon now." She winked at Gohan, who seemed surprised, but nodded politely.

"Two if you count Oscar and myself," Ozpin agreed. "I _would_ prefer to keep the nature of my return a surprise, after all." He reached over to the cold dregs of his coffee and politely drained the cup in one swig, clapping it back down upon its coaster. "Now… it's been… quite the exhausting night, and none of us will manage without proper rest. We'll meet again come breakfast."

There was a fatigued grumble of agreement as the former students and demi-Saiyan began filtering out. Ozpin himself nearly surrendered control when Ruby's voice murmured from the other side of the room.

" _Three…"_

"Hmm? Yes?"

Ruby approached meekly, measuring her words with care. "Three secret weapons, you mean… if you count _me…_ right? My eyes?"

Ozpin met the precious silver orbs, inscrutable as they stared. "Qrow tells me you warded off the one who slew my last form… once you saw the… _fate_ of Miss Nikos."

The eyes pressed shut in pain. "Y-yes… I don't remember anything after that. But Uncle Qrow said you _knew_ about it since we met."

He nodded. "I did. One of _several_ reasons I admitted you to Beacon early."

"Not the _only_ reason?" she asked pointedly.

His head shook. "Certainly not. You were _exceptionally_ skilled for your age. I wouldn't have let you in if you were not ready. I won't deny though, the tragedy of Amber Autumn had already befallen her when we met… and I knew time was against us..."

Ruby swept a hand low in question. "And the other times you gave us hints, helped us stay on track? What about the rest of my team? Was _I_ the only reason for that?"

Oscar gave the slightest smile. "I won't deny some favoritism… but while the remainder of Team RWBY is not necessarily special in the same way as yourself, they _were_ nonetheless the sort I'd welcome."

Ruby gave a quiet, impatient huff. "We were a _first year_ team. Even with my eyes, I don't get why _us_ , and not a stronger team like CVFY? I'm not complaining, but… why not _them?"_

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "I take it this isn't some roundabout manner of boast?"

Ruby only frowned in answer.

"Miss Rose, if I'd _wanted_ to make an exception and pair you with older students, few would have challenged me on it. Team RWBY set _itself_ apart. Strength and experience are no doubt invaluable assets, but there are greater attributes still.

"Team CFVY never took it upon themselves to right the Kingdom's wrongs while scarcely enrolled at the Academy. Not outside officially designated tasks. Which is _not_ to say I generally encourage undue risks by underqualified Huntsmen… but you take for granted that Huntsmen and Huntresses serve the common good, protect the people at any cost and exemplify the courage required to safeguard the future of humanity."

Ruby blinked rapidly, brows knitting. "Take for…? What do you…?"

"Miss Rose, Huntsmen are free to choose their own paths and assignments once properly trained and licensed. You have a courageous heart… Your only desire is to fulfill your duty. You forget that many have passed through Beacon's halls only to become private contractors, sellswords, elite military specialists… Many merely see becoming Huntsmen as higher tier law enforcement, or do so to further related careers, or simply see no other use or outlet for their abilities. It's a _career,_ or chance for some personal glory… not a _thing_ more. There has been an implicit cynicism of late… and whatever the reason, it's a thing you have largely missed. You still believe a few people with the will and ability can change _everything._ You still believe in _heroes_ …"

Ruby had little to say, so she said nothing. It wasn't that she was _un_ aware of these things… but she didn't want that knowledge to color her either.

"To be entirely candid…" Ozpin continued, "the initiative and ability your team demonstrated is _exceedingly_ uncommon. Don't sell yourselves short, Miss Rose. Your team made it into the tournament finals on your _own_ merits. You're not the very best fighters… but you're the best I can _trust_."

Ruby looked torn in five different directions. Pride, pressure, disillusion… all fighting for facetime.

"Cards on the table, Miss Rose, but while I'd hoped it were under better circumstances… my goal _was_ to see you and your team make it to this point."

"You mean, in on the secret? Like… Team STRQ?"

Oscar's features softened. He gave a single nod just as gently.

"You'd know I'm no genius, Professor… but I'm not _dumb_ either. Qrow said I was special _just like my Mom was…_ He and my Dad talked about you like you were _missing_ when every other news report on Beacon counted you among the _dead._ And I'm betting special, silver, Grimm-killing eyes were just as useful _before_ I was born to fight Salem..."

Guilt and misery crossed the lad's face as his fingers gripped the cane tightly. "I never believed you were _dumb,_ Ruby. Clearly not. Your suspicions are correct. Team STRQ disbanded largely after Raven took _her_ leave, but…"

"Nobody ever told me _how_ my mother died," Ruby began, quivering imperceptibly. "Just that she went on a mission and never came home. But you sent her out after Salem, didn't you?"

Oscar flinched, but shook his head rapidly. _"No…_ no… I would _never_ have sent her on her own. But her resolve was so _strong_. Your father had resigned himself to staying back, focus on raising his children. She was such a strong will, so protective of the ones she loved… I think Summer was dissatisfied with my inaction of late, much like my dear friend James. Took destiny by her own hands..."

"So… did… did you ever?"

"Find her? No… I'm afraid the summation of her loss is still as much mystery to us as you."

Ruby's face scrunched up in pain before she took a step forward. "How can you _say_ that?! Yang and I _never_ got told why, but it's _obvious,_ right?! It's obvious it was _Salem!_ I know you kept this all secret to keep people from panicking, but didn't _we_ deserve the truth? This was our _family!"_

"Of _course_ you did," Ozpin said quietly. "But should the truth have come from _me_ when you were all so young? I, who you knew nothing of? Qrow and your Father knew… and I left it to _their_ judgement. I was not about to countermand _their_ choice."

Ruby said nothing. She couldn't deny the two most prominent adults in her life had kept this from her. She wasn't sure what to feel about it.

"But… why has nobody mentioned my eyes? I don't even know how to _use_ them! I barely know what a Silver Eyed Warrior _IS!"_

"I'm afraid that before your mother… I was no different," Ozpin admitted. "I know the Warriors, like my own people, are a vestige of the time before recorded history… and are nearly as rare. I thought them another myth before I met Summer and witnessed her gifts for myself. An _incredible_ power in its own right, but as in the legends, yet _more_ effective against the Grimm."

"But… how do I _use_ it?" Ruby asked. "I don't even know what I did…"

Oscar's lips pressed in ponderously. "Summer rarely discussed _how_ the gift was used, but we know the trigger for certain. She mastered it when she was _very_ young, set off when your grandparents and their home in outer Vale were lost in a Grimm attack… brought on during a cyclone."

Ruby nodded, processing the little-considered but inevitable fact that she _had_ grandparents. It was neither common nor uncommon to have never known family outside the nuclear group. Ruby had never felt so different from her peers. The Grimm were a fact of life, after all.

"I figured it had _something_ to do with my _feelings,"_ Ruby said quietly. "I'd… I never…"

Oscar nodded. "Never felt anything so intense?"

Ruby stared into the floor. "It was _everything_ at once. I was terrified for _her…_ _confused_ that it was Cinder… _furious_ that I never guessed it. That I showed up too late. I _hated_ her… I hated _myself…_ It all just… _came surging out,_ and then _nothing._

"I've _tried_ to face it, to bring it out again. But… It's never like it _was,_ and I just feel myself _drowning_ in it! And worst of all… I'm so _scared_ I'll succeed and black out again! I don't know what I did or what I _might_ do! I don't know if I was myself! What if I hurt someone I didn't _mean to_?"

Ozpin began to shush her gently, crossing the distance to put a hand on her shoulder, patting reassuringly. "Honestly I've no idea. Your mother had conscious control over it, but she had attained it _years_ before we ever met. There are ways we can minimize the risks. I'll help you however I can… but…"

"Hmm?"

"As proud as I am to see you come all this way yourself, I… You have _no_ obligation to be here. In spite of the stakes, in spite of your gift, nobody will fault you staying out of this. I know Summer wouldn't."

Ruby felt a warmth in her chest grow hot at his suggestion. "I'm not running from this, Professor. If we don't do _something_ to stop all this… who _will?"_

Oscar's face fell. "Of course… You really _are_ just like her, you know… I just couldn't forgive myself if I led you in _all_ her footsteps."

They were quiet a moment, before Ozpin sighed. "I think now it's _truly_ time for bed. Particularly myself… I've exerted far more energy than I expected tonight. Do give what I've said consideration, Miss Rose… and please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions. Goodnight."

The green flash overtook the boy's shape, and in moments a more fitting demeanor crossed his face.

" _Gah!"_ he cried in finding his hand on Ruby's arm, leaping back as though burned. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, i-it wasn't—"

Ruby burst into a fit of quiet laughter as Oscar froze.

 _ **A/N: Part 2 is in a week folks!**_

 _ **Yep, this chapter ended up WAY too long to justify, so it's a two-parter, and you guys get it in record time!**_

 _ **So yeah, this Raven and Vernal are equal parts familiar and different from what we got in Volume 5. Vernal didn't have much personality to begin with, so I gave her the quirk of uncomfortably sexualizing things. It's not much, but it's something. Raven herself is far less of a bitch to her daughter in private. She has legitimate reasons for what she's done, if twisted through the lens of her own values and upbringing.**_

 _ **Add to that Ruby being more inquisitive of her role in things and less willing to unquestionably take Ozpin's marching orders, and you've got a recipe for a better setup than we got in the canon.**_

 _ **Still no Weiss or Blake, sadly. That'll be chapter AFTER next. Would you believe I originally planned the events of this and the next two chapters to take place in ONE?**_

 _ **I consider that a weakness of mine. I always seem to think something will take fewer words to write than what ends up being the case.**_

 _ **Sorry again for a pretty talky chapter. It was supposed to END with a rollicking fight in the original version, but you'll have to wait for the ALL-ACTION second part of this chapter next week.**_

 _ **Exciting things are happening in the writing as I approach the events that will round out Act 1. It's never been this fleshed out, and it all fits together near as well as I could have hoped in the outline.**_

 _ **Oh, and for those keeping score on the original characters… I'm going to start telling you their inspirations in the chapter after they're featured. Give you folks a chance to guess before I just come out and tell you.**_

 _ **Last chapter, for example, had Frieza receive a report from Professor Diana Henrys… who is a female Indiana Jones. Yeah, know how Indy has that very official quasi alter-ego as a university teacher? That's what she is meant to embody as she is. The name Diana comes from "IN-Diana," and "Henrys" comes from the fact that Indiana Jones' real name is Henry Jones Jr. So, Diana Henrys, complete with the signature whip. Next time you see her, don't be surprised if she busts out the jacket and the hat!**_

 _ **Ah, and of course the Monden family… The daughter, Atreya who met a sad fate at Frieza's hands, and her mother Kaiserin, left alive and invited to try her hand at revenge.**_

 _ **Both characters, and the father, Sebastian, —unnamed and implied to have been killed— are references to The Neverending Story. Bit on the nose, but Atreya is a very young and female Atreyu, the Native Americans hero(?) of the story. The surname "Monden" is short for the original German name "Mondenkin" —translated as "Moonchild" in the English versions— which is the name Bastion —take a guess— gives to The Childlike Empress to save the fictional realm of Fantasia/Fantastica. Kaiserin herself is my adult incarceration of the Empress… the name Kaiserin itself being German for… "Empress", lol.**_

 _ **Yes, I suppose Indiana Jones and The Neverending Story are admittedly pretty contemporary things to put into RWBY's Universe, and one of them wasn't even a book… but these things are already the classics of coming generations, and they feel appropriate to the setting.**_

 _ **Heck, even Vernal and the oc's in THIS chapter have been given some roots. Certainly roots Vernal never had before. I'm holding onto HER ties for later though.**_

 _ **Anyway, that's it till next week folks! See you there!**_

 _ ****2/4/2019 — Updated with Krillin's curiosity concerning Yang's abilities.**_


	8. Motherhood: Part II

She slowly stirred from a dead sleep. She'd snapped awake immediately, as per usual, she just took her time. Years of lonely vagrancy had instilled this in her, the need to be up and ready at a moment's notice in case of cops, or Grimm or worse.

So lately, she took her time getting up. Her red eyes reflected the blasted lands outside her window. She should have been used to the view after all this time, but the purple hellscape, dotted with Grimm was still eerie.

"Up and at 'em, Rip Van Hot-stuff," came her partner's voice from the doorway.

Emerald Sustrai's curtain of jade hair whipped as she sat up and turned towards him with a sigh. One of her shoes sailed across the significantly sized bedroom, which he dodged with a smirk, teeth flashing to dim his silver hair. "Told you this room's invite only. You _know_ I sleep in my skivvies, creep."

Mercury Black laughed. "Oh, _I_ know."

Emerald suddenly flickered directly in front of him, slightly annoyed. He didn't react to this anymore. "I also said if you snuck in again, I'd take your _next_ limb," she threatened.

"You _also_ said you'd pick," he pointed out with raised brows, "so I _know_ which one is _saf_ —"

Emerald's mental projection faded just in time for his vision to be obscured by one of her braziers being thrown at his face. Not the one she was _wearing_ ; Emerald was somewhat slothful, her belongings strewn over the chambers. Something which wasn't an issue for the castle, as everything managed to find its way to its proper place when they were gone anyway, as if by some unseen room service maid. It was unsettling. Apart from themselves, _her_ only servants were Grimm, and she couldn't imagine the Queen herself lifting a single pale finger that didn't directly benefit herself.

The chambers themselves were comprised of the same uniform, deep violet stone that surrounded this realm. Few lived here to begin with, yet still it was huge, the curved ceiling high enough to house an Alpha Beowulf without the beast even needing to crouch. The walls were plain, but at least lined with insets like the central rotunda, and the chamber was furnished… if only in that same, eldritch driftwood material.

By the time Mercury Black had tossed aside the garment, Emerald had already tossed on her vest and was buttoning her pants. One idle whim later and a bowl of dry, peach-colored cereal was in her hands as she strode, idly tolerating her partner.

"Tch…" Mercury scoffed. "Pumpkin Pete's? You _'cereal'?"_

She considered throwing the bowl at him for his pun, but settled for a groan and a full chin-to-the-sky eye-roll. "I always saw the ads as a kid, but I was an urchin. Kids never threw it out. Call it nostalgia."

That was _another_ convenient curiosity of the castle. Again, no servants, no cooks. Yet food of any sort, of any amount however complicated would… _'manifest'_ with but a desire. Emerald wasn't certain this was what Cinder _meant_ when she promised she'd never go hungry again, but she wasn't complaining. Now and again she wondered about it, suspecting any moment that she'd see past some enchantment and find out she had a bowl full of maggots unstead, like some cheesy horror novel. But of all people _she_ _ought_ to be able to divine truth from illusion, oughtn't she?

"See, never really _got_ nostalgia, y'know?" he muttered. "Not so many fond childhood memories..."

"Right… so why are you here again?"

"Boss finally has something for us."

" _Which_ Boss?"

" _Either,"_ came an odd, but familiar voice from the doorway. Both turned to see Cinder standing there, her face cipherous. _"Have to take care of some 'old friends' in Mistral,"_ she finished, though her mouth hadn't moved to form the words.

Emerald jolted to her side in a few quick strides, face alight. She looked to Cinder's neck, which wore a choker, a speaker-like device over her throat. "Watts make this? Some kind of artificial voice box?"

"Nevermind," the speaker said as Cinder's eyes became slits, sounding _mostly_ natural, yet still dulled. "We're meeting Lionheart to snuff out the last of Ozpin's little club."

"See, it _did_ work," Mercury drawled. In admiration or jest, Emerald couldn't tell. "And _you_ were worried," he finished, addressing her directly.

Emerald raised her palms in defense. "Hey, I just wasn't sure they'd be _that_ desperate or gung-ho to come all that way. Pretty meager bait, that's all."

Cinder gave her the slightest smile, as though to an ignorant child. "We've left them no other straw to grasp. Meager will do."

"Yes Ma'am," Emerald said, nodding dutifully. "Sorry, it's just... good to hear your voice ag—"

" _Thank you,"_ Cinder snipped waspishly, "I don't wish to discuss this further. Let's go."

"Right," she nearly stammered, slinging on the holsters of her dual khopesh as they made for the door.

As they stepped towards it, a split in the air wedged open to take the shape of the doorframe. On the other side lay Lionheart's office, the headmaster himself evidently not expecting it, yet clearly resigned to it.

"Wow, she's in a real hurry to send us off," Mercury commented. "What's the over/under on just which of our classmates showed?"

"We _know_ which from Callows' report," Emerald snapped.

"Sure, you mean _deciphering_ all the wailing and tantrums," he snarked.

Cinder's molten eyes burned. "Only one of them matters anyway."

* * *

The skies over the camp were slowly brightening, scant cirrus clouds painted red by a sun that for them had not yet risen. The twinkle of stars was steadily fading with the coming dawn. The forests were still, yet the quiet bustle in the Branwen camp was great as guardsmen took their posts on towers that were little more than scaffolding.

"Yang… you're _sure_ about this?" Krillin asked, keeping pace as she strode up to the clearing in the center of camp, taping up her hands as she went.

"It's this, or head for Mistral and _hope_ Ruby's there, and I can find her," Yang answered, ever so slightly irritated at answering this _again._ "If I lose… I won't really be much worse off than walking away."

Krillin groaned, but fell back as she approached no-man's land and stepped out into the clearing. She stretched her arms, rotating and bending them as she went, before stopping after a few feet into the arena.

"I'm ready!" she shouted, shedding her jacket entirely and tossing it to the floor, light in her orange top.

There was nary a sound for a while, the breath of the morning breeze whispering. But just as doubt crept in as to whether she'd been heard at all, the big tent's curtains parted, and Raven stepped out in full armor, blade as ever at her side. "Ready?" she asked. "Well I've no _idea_ how you decided that…" Raven said, taking off her helmet and setting it carefully upon a nearby crate. "...but _no_. You're not ' _ready'_. I cannot say you'll be spared judgment for fleeing a fight you started, but you'd leave with most of your pride intact."

"Pride's not what I'm fighting for," Yang shot back. "How are we doing this?"

"First blood," Raven explained, drawing only a slight murmur from the bandits.

Krillin, however, found his eyes knitting and couldn't stop himself. "That just rigs the whole damn thing! Don't agree to it, Yang!"

"What?"

"Everything about her weapon and armor says she's a _deulist!"_ Krillin explained. "She'll end the fight in one move, scratch you and call it finished!"

The murmurs of the crowd were half jeering, half angered for insulting their Leader.

"My men tell me you're a skilled fighter," Raven said at last, addressing him, "so unless my standards have slipped considerably, it's surprising to hear you're so ignorant to the shielding properties of Aura."

Krillin's brows rose. "Shielding…?"

" 'First Blood,' in this case, means exhausting your opponent's Aura, and delivering enough of a blow to draw blood. A single strike is unlikely to pull that off. And as this isn't an honor duel, if I _could_ I wouldn't, as I'd almost certainly cleave her in two…"

"Thanks Krillin, but I've got this," said Yang sounding less than thankful.

"Combatants shake hands," Raven ordered, before both strode to meet the other. All watched as they found the middle of the clearing, hands extending with dispassion. Idly, Yang noted how hesitant she'd have been in accepting this gesture only a matter of hours ago. Raven's grip was firm.

"Yang… _please,"_ Raven said, out of earshot of anyone else. "If you go through with this, I have no choice but to humiliate you. I can't appear soft to my people."

Yang looked her in the eye. "You won't have to."

Raven betrayed the slightest hint of pain behind her eyes, and turned back to her apportioned space.

One of the bandits presided, rifle barrel against his shoulder as his finger looped over the trigger. "First to bleed, _loses! ...Readyyyyy…!"_

But all was interrupted as a pale golden set of tiny beams met between the two fighters, the dirt popping as if a firecracker had been dropped there. They all turned to the source.

Dark against the glow of pre-dawn, stood upon one of the guard scaffolds, was Vernal. Her twin weapons were smoking, beam pistols with bladed gaurds curved around like some manner of unfinished chakram.

"Vernal," Raven called, leering, "what are you doing?"

She didn't answer at first, instead leaping over to land hard at the edge of the clearing, weapons extended to her sides for balance. She remained at a kneel, facing the dirt. "I challenge _her._ I want to fight for her birthright! Sole right to succeed you as _Leader!"_

Yang's brows rose. "Then _have_ it, _whatever."_

Some of the crowd stirred. Vernal merely growled.

Yang stared back. "I wasn't interested in leading a bunch of _thugs_ in the first place, so _have_ it, it's _yours."_

"It doesn't _work_ like that, sweetheart," Vernal spat, leaving Yang to grit her teeth, "a birthright among the Tribe can't be _given_ , only _taken."_

" _Vernal!"_ Raven shouted. "You could challenge her at any point _later_. Either she's weakened for _your_ fight or for _mine._ You know better than anyone there's no glory conquering the weak."

Yang rolled her eyes. "Then I'll take _both_ of you at _once! I don't CARE!_ Whatever gets your pet to _shut the hell UP_."

The bandits buzzed as a whole. Vernal's mouth hung open for a second, before she laughed. "It's a wonder you're still alive, acting _that_ cocky. _Either_ of us can crush you, kid. I'll even go easy and restrict my more… _unique_ talents…"

Raven and Vernal locked eyes a moment, Raven herself nodding.

"... _And_ we'll make this thing a four way," Vernal said with a smirk, before looking pointedly towards Krillin.

Krillin's eyes went wide a moment, pointing to himself to confirm. When nobody corrected him, he did the last thing they expected. He smirked. "Well as long as we're handicapping to keep this thing fair, I'll tone it down myself."

Vernal giggled musically at the sentiment, which Krillin's eyes only brightened at as he stepped forward. "Oh, give it a minute and you won't be laughing. Your power level's not bad, but I'm not sure you can even really use it, unlike your boss I'm guessing."

Indeed, the smirk vanished from Vernal's face as she regarded him dangerously, only imperceptibly glancing to Raven.

"Alright, alright, enough chatter," the officiate ordered, "First Light was like, two minutes ago, let's get this show on th—"

Vernal and Yang both aimed one of their weapons casually at the man, blowing him off his feet as his aura flickered. "Game on…" he groaned, before one-arming his rifle skyward and pulling the trigger.

With the gunshot, the fight was on. Vernal hurled one of her blades like a boomerang at Yang's shins, but the Sun Dragon merely countered by using its flat end as a step, launching herself skyward with a pair of shotgun blasts.

She arched forward, Vernal's remaining weapon trained on her as she unleashed a pair of continuous beams. Yang felt the sting a moment before using her new arm to shield against it, the material glowing with heat as she landed.

Recognizing the error, Vernal leapt back as Yang's fist pelted the ground, leaving it to tremble underfoot as she sprang into a position to press her charge as Vernal stood her ground with a smirk.

Yang fell forward as something collided with her back. Indeed, the second blade had returned to its owner, who brought both above her head in an executioner's stance.

Yang looked up, scrambling to see what she could do, and ultimately flipped onto her back blasting both barrels toward her feet from her prone position to send her rocketing between Vernal's legs and behind her as her blades struck the earth.

Before Vernal could recover, Yang planted her fists into the ground beneath her in an inverse pushup, blasting with both guns again as she shoved up to telegraph into a front flip, one leg raising nearly to her head before she struck a flying hammer-kick…

...Which Vernal caught by the ankle, leaving her to dangle as the petite punk hefted her entire bodyweight one-handed. "Ah ah, don't go between _my_ legs if you're heart's not in it," she quipped, priming one of her blades.

The expression on Yang's face spoke of annoyance at the pun, distaste at its sentiment… but most of all, a cold rage as her luxuriant locks trailed in the dirt.

With a roar she flung her hands back before slamming them forward, twin concussion rounds exploding in Vernal's face.

Yang managed to land on her feet as Vernal let her go in surprise, staggering back. Yang stormed forward as Vernal recovered, readying her weapons with a growl.

* * *

Meanwhile, Raven and Krillin squared off, circling as the two women battled.

"You've got everyone else fooled, but not me," Krillin told her, scanning her every feature.

"Oh?" Raven answered curiously. "How do you mean?"

"You're stronger than you seem, aren't you? A _lot_ stronger."

Raven smirked dangerously. "And how strong do I _seem?"_

Krillin considered. "Everyone I've run into here has been _way_ less powerful than they _should_ be. I can feel each and every one of them, energy flowing unrestrained, undirected, undisciplined. Even your second in command over there is as lit-up in the heat of combat as she was just standing around, and not a smidge _more_ than that either."

Raven gave the slightest pout, looking him over. "I think you'll find Vernal has quite a lot left in store."

Krillin shook his head. "No. She doesn't. Not the way _I'm_ talking about. Not like _you_ do."

Raven leered, a nerve finally touched. "Just who _are_ you, little man?"

Two of Krillin's finger curled as his stance opened, arm raised in front of him and the other tucked at his side. "Just your everyday retired monk."

Raven drew her sword in a flash, its immense length apparent as its blood red blade carved a curve in the dirt in front of her, kicking up sparks. She began walking towards him, sword aloft.

Krillin sidestepped as she closed the distance in an instant. If he had hair, it would be ruffling from the passing gust the blade left.

Raven locked eyes with him for a heartbeat, before the action began anew, steel cleaving air as Krillin found himself in ever more specific contortions to evade it. She finished her flurry upon seeing him trace her crosswise slash, his finger touching the flat of her blade as he floated sideways over it.

She adjusted with a flick of her wrist for an upward slice, but Krillin twisted in midair and curtained seemingly out of existence. Raven only truly responded, eyebrows raised, when she realized without looking that he was back to back with her.

"Alright," Raven offered, one side of her mouth pulling up appreciatively, "so you're _fast. Very_ fast."

Krillin laughed. "Maybe compared to a lot of _your_ crew."

"Consider yourself fortunate _Vernal's_ not the one making that observation," she remarked, eyes closed as she sheathed her blade. "She takes herself pretty seriously, but she's not above being a shade juvenile."

Krillin looked over to the pair, who were making the very bounds of the camp their battleground. A brutal uppercut in Yang's pursuit upturned a picnic table as Vernal's beams scorched and bisected it, the persistent pugilist simply passing through the gap to deliver a surprise shotgun-powered punch direct to center-mass, sending Vernal flying.

She recovered, however, in time to throw one of her blades beneath the point on the exterior wall of sharpened logs and land uneasily upon its broad surface, hand braced against the wall for balance. "I'm…!" she began, crouching and leveraging her foot against the wall to pry the blade out, "...gonna kick your _ass!"_ she exclaimed, as she extracted it, landing in a wide stance.

"Yep, I can see it," Krillin remarked as the women vaulted at each other anew.

Raven's techno-sheath shifted before she slowly drew the odachi again, this time with a blade of deep blue. She examined it carefully. "So, how long have you known my daughter?"

Krillin nearly lost his cool. "I… uh… Honestly, we only met yesterday."

"Really?" Raven plunged her blade to her side and behind her, the tip piercing the ground beneath Krillin and bursting into blossoming ice, overtaking all but the top of his head in an instant. A look of surprise was glued to his face.

Raven turned with a grin, only to be caught by an air of unease. She looked past the figure in ice… only to see Krillin standing a dozen feet away. Evidently, he had leapt out through the top before becoming entirely encased.

"Well, yeah. Really," Krillin answered.

Raven let herself be ever so slightly impressed, walking past the white sculpture. "Then what are your…" she paused, the odachi zipping through the air as the likeness' head was shorn off its shoulders, "... _intentions?"_

Krillin's lips thinned as his eyes widened dramatically, before literally stepping to his back foot. " 'Intentions…?' Look, we just sorta ran into each other, I'm not really—"

Raven pressed the assault again in an instant, but this time Krillin had prepared, golden energy shining over his arms as he blocked her flurry of swings. They wound their way through the main path of camp, bandits scattering as they traced the pair's movements up until Krillin found himself back against the great wooden entrance doors.

Raven plunged her blade through the door as Krillin nudged its path away from him, preparing a counter until the point of impact once again bloomed into ice.

This time, he _was_ properly encased, and Raven wasted little time in extracting her blade.

She made a great swing, but the ice exploded in a flare of power as Krillin freed himself, fist lunging to meet the odachi's blade. Shards of ice dust mixed with the real thing. Raven betrayed surprise as his other fist planted itself in her gut, blasting her backwards into some of the crowd.

The first few bandits simply fell back with her, but those behind _them_ managed to shove them all back onto their feet, like the elastic rope of a wrestling match. She turned to glare at them. "I'm _fine_ , worry about _yourselves,"_ she ordered, examining the ice blade that was little more than dagger-length now. "It's almost a _shame_ there's nothing between you two. Strong as _you_ are, I might very well have approved."

Krillin's reddening face very nearly distracted him from the bit of blue-blade-turned-throwing-dagger as she whirled her hilt and released it. The bit did little more than shatter, but Raven wasn't finished. Replacing her hilt in its sheath, she drew a gleaming yellow blade into an overhead swing that left rippling arcs of lightning to expand towards Krillin.

He leapt up and sideways to the spike wall as the shockwave blasted the twin doors open, leaving a neat trail in the dirt and slicing off numerous branches in the forest beyond.

Krillin glimpsed the damage and decided. _Pure defense isn't enough… she's not tiring out…_

He leapt towards her.

* * *

Yang had to admit as she ran sideways upon the wall of camp, struggling to parry the well-timed boomeranging blades… she was having some trouble.

One finally caught her by the leg, tripping her spectacularly as she flipped into and against the wooden logs into a heap on the dirt. One benefit to aura: splinters were pretty rare.

Vernal was on her before she could even properly stand, swooping in like a falcon.

Yang caught Vernal's hands as both weapons sliced towards her, the pair now wrestling for control as Yang kneeled. Vernal could feel that Yang's grip was stronger as she made to disarm her entirely, but chuckled as her thumbs moved into position.

Yang was caught off guard as the twin beam cannons opened up point blank at her chest. She shrieked, but her aura held… for how long she wasn't certain.

It was enough, as her eyes burned red, the burgeoning glow surrounding her as she slowly lifted her opponent's arms up, the beams scorching the wooden logs behind her as Vernal's eyes saucered.

Yang gave a firm flex and planted the twin blades deep in the logs behind her head. A quick sweep of her legs and Vernal was on the way down.

Her fist followed, pinning Vernal into the ground and causing the girl to belch air as she cratered the earth. The logs forming the fence around them clattered as they fell, uprooted.

As the dust settled, Yang's red eyes returning to lilac, she heard Vernal cough with laughter as she stared into them. Yang found both Vernal's hands gripping her landed fist. When did she have time to _block?_

"You're _tough,_ give you that for free," Vernal admitted, before tugging Yang's arm down, a free arm springing her back to her knees as she flung Yang around and into a tent, which promptly collapsed, deflating like a balloon. Yang flipped back onto her feet to find Vernal hefting one of the sharpened logs upon her shoulder. "But you're not _that_ tough!"

She launched the log at Yang like a gigantic javelin, spearing the ground at an angle as Yang leapt back and out of the way. Vernal reached for another as Yang used the previous projectile as a ramp, but both were staggered as Raven and Krillin rocketed between them as a blur. Yang barely noticed the bit of log she stood upon had been sheared off until she began falling, tumbling into a roll as she hit the ground and owning it as she charged straight into the baseball swing of her opponent.

Meanwhile, Krillin was finding the fight ever more interesting as Raven matched the power of his blows, though that power still plateaued, and he was quickly starting to overwhelm her. And yet… she wasn't tiring. This was beyond just having a pool of stamina. _Why would she hold back?_ Didn't she _want_ her followers to know she was strong?

Krillin didn't complain, as he neatly deflected the ball lightning shot from the tip of Raven's blade. He was airborne, a flagpole's height up. The lightning had been a distraction as she leapt up to meet him. His superior speed was more than enough to flit above her and deliver an elbow smash to send her toppling down end over end.

Raven managed to pull out of it and land safely by her tent, glaring at him as he touched down as well. She glanced to her people, awash with confusion and concern. Who _was_ this monk? How could he _fight_ like this? He was above her advertised level. She looked to her helmet, still set upon the crate.

No choice.

Krillin watched as Raven strode over to her helmet, eyes fixed on him. She donned the piece once more, turning to face him.

"I don't mean to tell you your business," he said with a wry smile, "but dulling all your senses like that is a poor tradeoff for some head protection."

Raven didn't answer, remaining silent as Krillin slowly felt a breeze kick higher and higher, leaves swirling around the swordstress.

"Oh…"

Krillin braced as she burst forward, _much_ faster than befo—

Krillin felt a searing pain as her palm heel smashed into the front of his face. His nose would be broken… if he had one.

He reeled back through the air, tumbling over the earth and pancaking another pair of tents. He rolled to face the sky only to see Raven pressing the attack, directly above him. He dashed above her as her blade delivered an upward slash, digging a trench in the ground, dirt spraying everywhere...

"Aww, how about that?" Vernal jeered, glimpsing the parallel fight in the distance. "Looked like a valiant effort, to be sure… but your pal's still coming up _short._ Bet I can still punch your clock before Boss catches up though."

Yang only squared off as Vernal spread her arms to go on the attack again. For much the same reasons, Yang needed to get the pressure off. Despite her bluster, two opponents of this caliber were too many. She needed a quick way to take Vernal down. If her mother _did_ beat Krillin, she'd be in no condition to fight if she was too worn from the preamble. But all she had to use were logs, tents, furniture…

 _And then she saw it_.

Yang leapt back as Vernal's blades swept in front of her. Yang retaliated as she flew with alternating shotgun blasts, to which Vernal only laughed.

"When are you gonna learn this won't work? I have the range advantage, dummy! Or is it just too risky to be up close like you want?"

Yang didn't answer, only gaining more distance as Vernal finally gave chase. "Fine."

Vernal stormed as Yang finally stood her ground, taking aim and blasting her beams again. Yang's prosthetic arm blocked them as if shielding her eyes from light, her other firing as she approached. The material glowed orange with heat. Vernal stopped firing only to swipe at her, but Yang leapt back, hunched forward with her burning hand in the dirt. She passed a covered mound, shaking her half extinguished limb of fire.

Vernal leapt forward again, and Yang once more rolled out of reach. "Is this your only strategy? Fight, damn it!"

Yang stopped, standing up straight and absent any defensive posture. Infuriating enough, she smiled. "Why? It's over."

Vernal stared, about to ask what she meant… but felt her blood run cold as she heard a sizzling noise.

She whipped around to find it, seeing the black trail of Yang's flaming hand from a moment before, and tracing it to…

 _No…_

The sizzling was coming from a chunk of fire dust about to go critical, grazed by Yang as she passed. And around it? The entire _pile_ of surplus dust from the past night's entertainment.

She made to jump, run, _something_ , but only got as far as twisting her body away before a chain reaction overtook her entirely.

With the force of a bomb and the chaos of a burning fireworks factory, dust crystals popped off and crackled to ignition at the rate of a heavy machine cannon. Clouds of ice, fire bursts, electrical arcs and sparks, even showers of stone and blasts of wind attempted to occupy the same small space.

Even Krillin and Raven had momentarily paused to look over at the carnage they had taken no part in.

But after ten long seconds, the last few pops of the dregs fizzled out of existence. All that remained was a nasty mist that shrouded the area. But moments later they could hear a shuffle of feet.

A dark shape staggered forth, and Yang saw Vernal looking bedraggled and drunk. She dropped her blades as her hands reached up to support her wobbling head. Her aura, the same color as her beam weapons, flickered and went out as she stumbled. Entirely by chance, Vernal bumped straight into her, toppling back without any sense of balance.

Yang grabbed her by the choker, barely preventing her fall as she leaned freely back. Yang raised her fist…

Krillin, turned spectator, very nearly called after her, but instead Yang simply extended her thumb.

A mere swipe of her nail along the punk's cheek drew blood with only a mild groan, and Yang released her to fall into the arms of the other bandits who rushed to the lieutenant's aid.

"Vernal… is… _eliminated…"_ the ref called out, his expression blank alongside his fellows. "The match continues, two on one."

The silence rang until Raven took and overhead swipe at Krillin. _This was getting a little too close_.

Krillin vanished above her and made to belt her in the back of the head, but her wrist rose to meet his. Her force had risen _tremendously,_ matching and overpowering his own as he was pushed back.

He barely avoided the next slash, landing sideways against one of the steel scaffold rails, bowing the entire structure inward as the guard manning it was catapulted over the perimeter wall. Raven missed, passing over the wall herself and skidding to a stop on the other side. He landed upright upon the still rattling steel.

So she wasn't as fast… but he could feel it: she was _far_ stronger. His power output wasn't high enough. He _still_ couldn't detect her power somehow, but he knew to _match_ her he'd have to glow like a furnace to anyone that could detect power levels.

"Gotta make this _fast,"_ Krillin decided, as she stormed towards him again, winding through trees that cloaked her approach. He widened his stance, right foot back at a perpendicular angle as he shifted his weight to it. He snapped his palms forward, fingers curled.

He brought both hands back to his side as those fingers clawed. _"Kaaameeeeeeee…!"_

Even as the bandits watched on, uncertain, Raven had leapt suddenly from the undergrowth vertically up the fence. She swung up at him, but he rolled back, then kicking ever higher into the sky above the camp. She followed, his hands still adjoined at his side. Her sword thrusted at him, sizzling the sky with a lightning bolt that for _him_ seemed immense compared to before. He shifted aside from it almost effortlessly, but moments later she met him in the air, preparing to strike.

" _Haaameeeeeeee…!"_

Even in her backswing, Raven received a foot in her back as he vanished again. And then faster than she could respond to, blows from one side… the other side… above. It had all taken less than a second.

As he dove for the ground, Krillin silently thanked his lucky stars that he had been right: in spite of Raven's power, her speed was still superficial. She just couldn't keep up. And given her position, that was about to bite her like she'd not soon forget, as the space between his palms suddenly gurgled with a brilliant blue strobe of power.

His hands aimed up at her, the world going still as the power compressed.

" _HAAAAAAAAAAAA…!"_

Krillin was nearly shoved towards the ground as the light of the red dawn was instantly overtaken by the azure supernova that ensued. Raven had only to stare down as a monstrous blast, a plume of furious _power_ fountained towards her, ragged like fire but looking terribly solid. Out of options, she sheathed her blade, willing the device to cycle as never before.

The blood red blade tore reality below her, and the Kamehameha Wave vanished through the black abyss of the portal as it passed.

Yang fell flat on her back as the other portal tore open before her. Her eyes dilated, both from the blinding light and her terrifying proximity to the beam that sizzled the air before her. All eyes were on the meter wide blast as it ploughed through yet another section of the perimeter wall and beyond. It finally struck ground, carving a channel through the earth as it passed the treeline.

At last, the ground shook as the remainder of the beam thinned and joined the point of impact, the energy detonating as a white hot cloud filled a small section of forest. Trees were buffeted, swinging violently as the air burst. The tops of a few trees were blown off, twigs and needles scattering with the obscuring dirt, the rest of them outright incinerated. The glowing blue-hot cloud seemed to burst as the glow vanished and it turned to brown smoke, pluming into the sky. The shockwave struck as the noise hit them, a ringing wail that increased in pitch as it faded out. All that remained was the dust and pine needles showering the area, and the great conical trench molded from the beam. The only sound was a slight rumbling from the trees and the cries of terrified birds as they fled the scene.

"What the _hell_ …" Yang whispered inadequately, looking up to double check Krillin as the source of the freakishly destructive power. Was this the _true_ power of this ki business?

The bald warrior himself looked between Raven and his attack. That had been _close_. _Too_ close. He didn't doubt Raven's aim, but regardless he'd just spent a great deal of energy. Not only was she still standing —metaphorically— but she hadn't even taken any damage. His next move would _need_ to be his last. He couldn't afford another blunder like that.

Meanwhile, Raven beheld the damage with reserved awe. _That_ was far more than she expected of him. _Too_ much more. The gloves were coming off. Vernal was meant to be stronger than even her, but fell to her daughter. She couldn't afford to be seen losing to some random nobody, however freakish their ability. This was no longer just about spending the summer with her daughter. If she lost the Tribe's confidence, then she was as good as mutinied.

Krillin landed, howling as he let white flame erupt over him and sprung back at Raven, who dove, fist radiating her curious power.

Both met somewhat higher than the middle given Krillin's superior speed, fists glancing off each other as either opponent struck the other in the face. The impact could be felt on the ground, an explosive gale erupting from the impacts as free dust, tents and even _people_ were swept off the floor and piled against the walls in heaps.

Raven banked from the hit, skidding along the ground as she crashed, Krillin doing likewise a hundred yards away after taking somewhat longer to touch down.

Both struggled to stand, but Raven managed with a slight stagger, leaning upon her blade. Krillin rubbed his face… and then stared down at the trickle of red wetting his palm. "You've got to be _kidding_ me…" he lamented.

" _The wildcard is ELIMINATED!"_ cried the bandit referee, sounding more than slightly relieved. _"It is now ONE on one! The fight continues!"_

Yang turned as Raven stepped steadily forward, ever so evidently disheveled. "So you bested Vernal? I'll admit, I was uncertain whether I'd get my turn. If nothing else, you've proven your ability. That makes what's about to happen _far_ less compromising."

"If you're trying to distract me, it won't work," Yang told her, stepping forward.

Krillin peered into Yang's power. She still had plenty left in the tank, but he just couldn't know if he'd worn Raven down enough.

Raven leered. "I don't need to _distract_ you," she told her, before the odachi launched out of its sheath like a rocket.

Yang staggered as the hilt struck her full in the face, Raven skating to catch it, then spinning on the spot for a savage strike. Yang let the sword fall upon her steely arm, which spat sparks on impact. Cold fingers curled around the blunt curve of the blade as she held it fast. Her other arm threw a punch, which Raven's hand caught, and in moments their fingers interwove as they vied with each other.

"Bad move," Raven chided, working to bend Yang's wrist back, "Don't enter a test of strength with an enemy you're not _certain_ you can overpower…!"

"...M-maybe don't act so sure," Yang began, "when the other girl's got a new weapon!"

It was _mostly_ a bluff, but Raven was nevertheless startled as Ember Celica —including the arm gun— gave a noisy 'pop,' as a few dozen spent shells ejected at once like oversized confetti. Raven released her hand in surprise, and Yang didn't hesitate to slug her helmet clear off. As it clattered heavily among the red shells, the bandits hissed and cowered as their leader's blood red eyes emerged once more. She raised her sword in threat, and the chase began.

It wasn't long as they exchanged blows before Raven began coupling her offensive swings with her semblance, opening portals between strikes and jabbing whatever she liked from _wherever_ she liked.

But even as they clashed, blade crossing with the segmented guard of Celica or her replacement, Yang… found no _fire_ fueling her own attacks. Raven was gaining ground. She was finally facing her like Yang wanted… but she didn't _want_ it anymore. She didn't _hate_ Raven. She felt a lot of things, but _hate_ wasn't among them. Not like before.

Why was she here? Why was she fighting? She _couldn't_ lose, but… why?

And then that face filled her mind's eye. Her red hair mussed from days in bed, impeccable smile marred by innocence lost. The shine of old tears still trailed.

' _I love you…'_ she'd said, after Yang snapped at her without warrant, the ugliness of self pity taking her, wanting nothing of her optimism or determination. She'd done _nothing_ to deserve the neglect her big sister had dropped on her, as if she weren't _also_ shouldering the greatest loss since Summer. They ought to have done this together. Of _course_ Ruby wouldn't let the world hold _her_ down.

That's right… this wasn't _about_ Raven. This was for _Ruby._ She _couldn't_ be stuck here while her sister faced it all. What if she never found her? What if she was too late? What if the last _real_ conversation she had with the most important person in her world had basically been, _'life sucks, now get lost?'_

She was getting knocked around as Raven kept up a brutal offensive, wincing as she nearly literally suffered a death of a thousand cuts, the blade chipping at her aura bit by bit.

Unbidden, her mind saw her sister's silver eyes, little more than dull gray. _Blank,_ facedown in a ditch somewhere, crimson pooling around her. Her purse strings loosened and emptied… the rest of her discarded. Abandoned. Unmourned.

 _Unloved._

" _No…_ " she groaned, inaudibly. Her gilded fist caught the odachi's blade once more, utterly still as Raven stared into searing red eyes.

" _NO!"_

She twisted the blade in her hand, splintering the red steel as she delivered a punishing left cross that left Raven stumbling backwards. Yang quite literally pounced, fists crashing on both sides of Raven's head, further disorienting her. She followed up with a boot to the chest that sent Raven skidding back, feet still firmly planted.

She reached into her tiny satchels and tossed up belts of new shells, a well practiced flick of her arms seating them for a proper reload. She fired a pair of concussion rounds, which screamed towards Raven. In a flash, both were caught and angled on the flat of her stumpy blade, redirected behind her and into the sky like flares.

Yang used the moment to blast towards her, arm cocked for a mighty swing.

" _Predictable!"_ Raven declared, sheathing her sword and readying a green blade.

But as she passed, Yang's cocked arm fired early. Instead of throwing a punch, she was sent spiraling from head to toe, and Raven's preemptive slash hit less than air.

Raven barely pulled her odachi before Yang's extended leg struck her forearm below the wrist with the force of her charge amplified by the torque of her spin. Her arm was smashed into her sternum, and her hand released the blade instinctively as her aura broke all at once, flashing orange as it went out.

Yang came to a graceful landing on Raven's other side, eyes returned to normal, and Raven herself turned to face her. Yang's left arm made to fire the final shot, but with a thought Raven's sheath blasted a great white blade as a projectile. Yang winced as it struck her heavily in the shoulder, and again as Raven capitalized on it, grabbing the blunt edge and thrusting it hard enough to shatter it, _and_ Yang's golden aura at once.

In a second both had resorted to grappling, Raven gripping Yang's wrists and keeping the gauntlet guns pointed away. At this point, both of them were slick with perspiration, their breath heavy.

"Y-you're tapped out, daughter," Raven groaned, pushing ever further back. "Like I said before, this only works if you're _stronger…!"_

"Y-yeah… well…" Yang retorted, before her limb burst like a rocket, disengaging their lock as Raven's left arm was forced back under her shoulder. Yang spun counterclockwise into her, between her arms until she was back to chest with her, good arm gripping Raven's left wrist. Her stump reached out and made itself whole again with a hiss, and she pressed the muzzle next to her arm. "...strength isn't _everything."_

Raven winced, the rest of the crowd quaking as the gun went off. It echoed in absolute silence as Yang lowered her weapons with a sigh. A dark stain formed upon her already crimson sleeve. Raven reached a digit of the same limb to, coming back with glistening red on her quivering fingertip.

"The winner…" the officiate muttered, as gobsmacked as the rest, _"Yang Branwen."_

There was nothing at this announcement, Krillin alone beating a fist into his palm before pumping it, beaming with his teeth on full display. Vernal was only just regaining her faculties to stare drunkenly at the two fighters, her lip and nostril up in a bewildered sneer.

Raven was a statue, but softened almost immediately as Yang turned around, wrapped her arms around her back and leaned her head into the older woman's cheek. Yang took several huge, deep breaths as she rested her weight upon her mother's frame.

" _I… forgive you,"_ Yang muttered. Her mother gently hugged her back.

"Please," she whispered, "don't go."

Yang was silent a moment. "Mom… come _with_ me."

Raven shook her head, gripping her only child tighter. _"Please…"_

Yang stood back, staring into her glassy eyes. "I _have_ to find Ruby. She needs my help. I need to be there for her."

Raven's lips thinned, and she stared past her… but gave the smallest, sharpest nod.

They disentangled, and Raven saw the gaze of her people, dark mutters from those she couldn't see. "The fight is ended. You all have work to do. This camp is in tatters, and I expect it ordered by sundown."

There was a moment's hesitation before the bandits filed out, sifting through the blasted camp. Some went about their business like it were any other day. Others glowered, still more were plastered with shock. Raven kept catching stares every time she turned around, only for them to flit back to their task. She gave one more look to her daughter, who had found a nearby log from the fence and sank down onto it.

"Hey, no hard feelings," the bald monk said just outside her vision. Raven turned to find him extending his hand. "It was a good fight."

She took it. "Far better than I expected… clearly. I don't think I caught your name, little man."

"Krillin," he answered with a smile.

She nodded. "You heard all I said before. She's walking a dangerous path."

"Right. I'll be honest, didn't quite take your boogeyman seriously, but after that fight… if she's a threat to you, may _have_ to. Can't know how long we'll be on the same road, but I'll watch her back while I can."

Raven shut her eyes. "Thank you."

Raven watched the man stroll over to Yang, greeting her in clear congratulations as she sprawled back over the log in relaxation and laughter.

It had been a while since Raven had felt so conflicted… but she couldn't shake the swelling pride she felt for Yang. If only it hadn't taken losing so much for herself...

* * *

Somewhere in the chaotic landfill the camp had become, Yang was able to find Bumblebee. It would need some buffing out… Raven reloaded her sheath as well, and before anyone was prepared, her red blade zipped through the air, ripping reality asunder.

Krillin walked behind Yang as she rolled the bike forward, preparing for the long awaited trip. She passed by Raven.

"Yang…" she called quietly, unable to look at her. "If you're going to do this… remember what I said. And… keep Summer's girl _safe."_

Yang nodded, but turned to her just before they made the jump. "This is only goodbye if you _let_ it be, y'know?"

Raven sighed. "Thank you."

Yang was swallowed by the scarlet void faster than Krillin had prepared for, and he found several eyes staring at him as he awkwardly took the plunge himself. Moments later, it was over. Raven found the eyes that had beheld Krillin now fall to her. Piercing. Tension clogged the air. She walked towards her tent as if she hadn't noticed, but she knew things had just gotten a _lot_ more complicated.

* * *

The pair emerged on the other side, under a cutout of craggy stone shaped into an archway and bridge. The portal vanished almost as soon as they'd fully passed it. The first thing Krillin noticed was an old dumpy woman in a nearby noodle parlour, looking at them as though frozen, a fried egg slowly slithering off her spatula. The rest of the innumerable crowd had evidently not noticed their entrance.

"So… we in the right place?" Krillin asked, casually being bumped by a passing child, tearing through the streets after his friend in glee.

Yang walked Bumblebee a few feet further, eyes adjusting as they left the dark arch, and both finally saw the high cliffs and sprawling architecture of—

"Yep," Yang said, busting out her shades with a grin, "Mistral… Hallelujah."

"Man _alive,_ " Krillin sighed. "Don't see much like _this_ anymore. So what about your uncle? Gotta be nearby, right?"

"Yeah… _UNCLE QROOOOOW!"_ she called, using her hands like a bullhorn. A number of passerby glared at her. "Okay, _yeah,_ not doing that again," she hummed. _"Damn,_ we must have just _missed_ him. You can 'sense' crap, right? He'd be around my Mom's strength, I think."

"Yeah, I'm gonna say that's _unlikely,_ " Krillin muttered. "Might just be I used up a scosche too much juice back there, but if he's around he's masked by all the people here. It's hard to pick any _single_ person out."

"Oh right, that blue super-beam thing," Yang said, eyes lit up, "I'd been meaning to ask about that… _What?!"_

They walked off through the streets, as the man himself with the sword-scythe strode over the archway a level above, red eyes gazing over the crowds curiously. "Hello? Who said that?"

Finally, Qrow found no one in the sea of people, shaking his head. "Ehhh… hearing stuff. Okay, so next on the list… 'Heather Shields…' Gotta pan out sooner or later…"

* * *

Leo Lionheart gasped for air, clutching at the tendrils around his throat as he kneeled.

 _"Failure,"_ she spat from the other side.

"Ma'am, I BEG your... your...!" he choked, but the Seer's limbs only gripped tighter. "I didn't _know...!_ He... must have suspected...!"

"Leo, make no mistake... if I discover the _slightest_ hint that you conspired against me with our Huntsman friend... well... I believe I'll have little choice but to _assure_ Mistral's collateral damage is a bit more... mmm... _total..."_ Salem threatened. "Our accord had _terms._ If you cannot keep to them..."

Lionheart's eyes slammed shut as his fist met the lacquered floor. "Kill me then...! It's no less than I deserve...!"

"Interesting," Salem began, evidently amused, "is that _nerve_ I'm hearing, Leo?"

"We can't acquiesce to that just yet, Professor," Cinder's artificial voice said somewhere above him. "We'll have need of you to arrange our little appointment."

"Yes," Watts said lowly from Salem's side, "their only other correspondent at Haven has been myself, and Qrow was _less_ than trusting of me."

"It's the mustache," Emerald suggested, pointing to her own upper lip as Mercury glanced over the office bookshelves.

Watts spluttered to form a response, but all went silent as Salem raised her hand.

"All the same... Tyrian's report leaves much in doubt. I'm afraid this means Mister Branwen will require... _encouragement_ to present our answer regarding the _true_ location of the Spring Maiden."

Lionheart shook his head. "Qrow is Ozpin's man through and through! He'd never submit under torture, what can even be _done?!"_

"Y'know you _really_ lack imagination," Mercury told him.

"Right," Emerald agreed, "that was already on the table, now we just take _two_ prisoners."

Lionheart blanched. "W-what do you...?"

Salem sighed. "Humans are so _wonderfully_ predictable. He won't talk to spare his own life... but his beloved niece..."

Leonardo felt himself begin to sweat. "Your grace... please... why... why does the child of Summer Rose _need_ to die...?"

"I don't appreciate your playing dumb..." Salem told him, her red eyes glowing. "You've seen yourself... already she's maimed one of my strongest lieutenants. I'd rather the Rose were put out of the way _before_ she can become a thorn in my side."

"B-but she could be of _use!_ You'd know as well as anyone!"

"Enough," Salem breathed firmly. "Cinder, your timetable has been moved up. I want the maiden's location by day's end... and the lot of them _terminated..."_

 _ **A/N: Things are starting to heat up!**_

 _ **More or less the first REAL fight of the story with stakes, and I hope it was a good one. Won't deny that Yang and Vernal only have so much to work with in terms of their fighting styles. Again, Vernal was never much of a character in the first place apart from being a positioned decoy and red herring for Raven… which was a twist I didn't see coming in Volume 5… but she really only ever existed for the sake of that twist. Her name MEANS freaking Spring for crying out loud!**_

 _ **So yeah, Krillin gets off the first Kamehameha of the story! Actually, come to think, he's been the ONLY one among them to use named techniques so far… And as usual he manages to miss the shot. Not his fault forgetting Raven could open portals at will, but yeah, I'd prefer to see things go his way now and then. I really DO respect the hell out of Krillin as a character. Arguably he's the bravest of all the Z Warriors, a normal home grown human being, warring against his own limitations as he's constantly surrounded by freaks of nature.**_

 _ **...And it breaks my HEART to make him lose here, but I couldn't have the guy swoop in and solve Yang's problems FOR her. At least this time he gets to play the mysterious stranger with astonishing powers who knows things he shouldn't realistically know. And he only lost due to the technicality of the first-blood stipulation. Krillin was suppressing his power so he didn't draw Frieza's attention and tried ONLY to use enough to match and defeat her. It should go without saying, but in a fight to the finish Krillin would have dominated over Raven. But even so, he did enough in wearing Raven out so Yang actually stood a chance.**_

 _ **Oh, and as Ozpin pointed out in the previous chapter, Raven only managed what she did in the first place because of the magic of her Maiden powers, closing a great deal of the gap between them.**_

 _ **And we finally see Cinder's classic duo in one room, being their casually quasi-childish and antagonizing selves, with the faintest air of menace underneath. Cinder can finally speak properly… I never liked how Volume 5 just suddenly gave her voice back after a year of rasping like she has black lung, so the voice box feels a proper compromise. I heavily considered leaving her largely mute, but realized that reading her face and body language (which made her sorta fascinating in Volume 4) was only really something that worked because of the visual medium. If I needed to focus on mute Cinder in a scene, I'd probably just end up describing her thoughts anyway, so what's the difference? I remember in Fallout New Vegas: Blood Money trying to decipher the subtitled gestures for Veronica in my head and just giving up to let the Courier translate… I'm not going to make my readers suffer that crap. At any rate I like the image of Cinder with this tinny, slightly-off version of her voice, just STARING at you as her lips remain firmly shut. It's kinda creepy.**_

 _ **Lastly, full steam to Chapter 9! Finally we're going to see what Blake, Sun and Bulma are getting up to, with some Weiss and 'Getes for good measure (no, they don't meet up, don't misunderstand me) and believe me, it's an eventful outing. What, you say? Blake's boring arc in Menagerie? EVENTFUL? Well yes! If you recall, this time around Blake and Sun are being proactive. They know Adam is going to murder Sienna Khan, and they're going to try and stop him! Because unlike in Volume 5, the White Fang Headquarters (which I've dubbed "Lower Shambhala") is located on the desert coast of Menagerie instead of somewhere Mistral, so they're actually close enough to DO things instead of handing out pamphlets and making ineffectual press conferences! Because THAT'S what you want to see in an action series about FIGHTING, RIGHT?!**_

 _ **Hehe… still salty.**_

 _ **...that was not MEANT to be a pun…**_

 _ **G'night, folks! Enjoy!**_

 _ ****2/4/2019 — Updated mainly to make certain scenes clearer in regard to Krillin's fight with Raven, emphasizing that he was NOT near his full limit, and did NOT outright win the fight on Yang's behalf so much as to level the playing field.**_


	9. Lower Shambhala

" _Dragonballs..."_ Blake repeated, after the crash course Bulma had just given her.

"That's _unbelievable!"_ Sun remarked, seated upon the lacquered railing even as he leaned hard forward. _"Any_ wish you could want except all the _bad_ stuff?"

"Yep," Bulma affirmed, eyes scanning the horizon as she lazily piloted the —reasonably _swanky—_ fishing boat along the coastline, sharp cliffs of red rock for miles which had long passed the point of scientific curiosity. Even an alien world was only so interesting when it was scarcely different from Earth geography. "Not so easy making it happen without a means of tracking them though, which is why _I_ invented a radar to read their specific energy frequencies. Kinda kicked off everything, really. We'd be up one nasty creek if I hadn't run into Goku that day, got him out of his hillbilly hovel in Nowhere, Paozu and set him on course to keep the planet safe."

Blake's eyelids sank as she sought Bulma's eyes with a wry grin. "You're positive he'd never have found his _own_ way?"

Bulma gave a bark of laughter. "No chance at all, seriously. When we met he tried to protect me from _my own car_ , and couldn't tell I was a girl until I reintroduced the _concept_ of girls to him."

Blake blinked. "He didn't know what a _girl_ was?"

"No! Lived alone with his grandpa till he _stepped_ on him, then went all _Will Golding_ by his lonesome for however many years till I turned up. And _trust me,_ he didn't really grasp the _anatomical_ differences," Bulma finished, nose scrunched up and red-faced as she recalled the day they met Roshi. More specifically, the realization that Goku caused her to play _commando_ the night before that and…

Blake blinked, ears twitching as something nagged at her. "What was that part about _stepping_ on—?"

"Seriously though, _faunus_ _from another planet_ with tails and stuff like us!" Sun exclaimed, his own waving emphatically.

"You know full well I don't have a tail," Blake remarked lightly.

"Hey, not like I've been _looking."_

Blake's ears folded as she took visible offense. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Sun instantly backed towards the other side of the helm, hands raised in surrender. "Nothing! Just tails generally attach at a certain… and I don't _think_ about you like that! I mean not like you don't look _good,_ I'm just not the guy that would _stare,_ especially not…like _that…_ and..."

Blake's grimace could have peeled paint off the walls, an unwelcome redness around her nose. Bulma on the other hand smirked freely as both ignored her until she smacked a hand across Sun's back, making him jolt rod-straight. "So while you're digging that hole, I'd like to point out that Goku isn't a _faunus_ , he's a _Saiyan._ They're these planet-clearing super-jacked aliens, and _he_ got sent to _our_ planet as a baby to wipe us all out, but he hit his head or something and forgot to."

"Y'know, you don't make believing you _easy,"_ Blake admitted. "You're a scientist, but you believe in _magic?_ … And… o _ther_ weird stuff, but let's start simple. _"_

"Hey, seeing is believing, but demonstrating, repeating and verifying are _knowing._ We summoned Shenron a bunch of times and it never failed. Was there for three of 'em so far."

Blake leaned over the rail, staring at the passing waves. "As if I didn't have enough _regrets_ already… There's a lot I'd give up to have at least _one_ of them just… _wished away._ A lot of people around me have been worse off for the pleasure."

Bulma heard the hurt in her voice and frowned in sympathy. "That's a real world-weary tone for a kid like you."

Blake said nothing at first. "The one we're stopping… Adam… he used to be my… _partner."_

Bulma caught her eye for but a split second. "Hmm," she intoned, nodding.

"At first, we started… I _thought_ … on more or less the same page. Eventually I realized we were becoming… _I_ was becoming something I couldn't stand for. We _hurt_ people… usually it was justifiable, or he'd insist, an _accident_. A _mistake_. Then it was 'necessary', or 'acceptable losses.' And finally, it was _'who cares?' "_ Blake turned her back on the sea, sliding to sit down against the wall. "The White Fang was supposed to be the pushback. The prejudiced didn't fight fair, so it made sense if we didn't either. We thought we were stretching 'civil disobedience' to its limits, but the ones that suffered were only the _worst_ , right?

"But then it was employees and affiliates who deserved it. Then it was politicians who did nothing to help. Then, it was _anyone_ who failed to act or speak out, the ones who 'let evil win.' I left when Adam stopped discerning enemies from bystanders, and he's only gotten _worse!_ Now his own _people, faunus_ who don't take his view are traitors, as culpable for our mistreatment as any human."

"Wow, _my_ squeeze and I had problems," Bulma said, "biggest being he's kinda _dead_ right now… but nothing like _that_. _"_

"I'm sorry," Blake said to her, sympathizing.

"Well, whole point of going to Namek was to bring him and the others _back_ … Now though, I don't know… I've gotta figure it was the Dragonballs that landed me here. Black sky, sure sign, but what _that_ wish could have been I don't know. What if I _never_ get home? I'm all alone…"

Blake put a hand across Bulma's shoulders, but Sun was the one to tell her, flashing a grin. "Not right now, you're not."

Bulma caught his eye, beaming.

"It's kinda funny though," Blake told her, not laughing herself "your problem is getting forced away from the people you care about… I did that all myself. When I found Adam at Beacon, he was trying to butcher anyone in reach. He was worse than _ever,_ and I've _never_ seen that cold hard edge of _hate_ … pointed at _me._ He swore to destroy everything I loved. He left me with a pretty decent scar…" Blake's thumb idly rubbed over her stomach. "...and then my best friend showed up… He cut her _deeper_. _"_

Bulma fixed her with a fearful glance.

"Oh! No, she survived," Blake blurted, "but… she lost her arm... Knowing _me,_ being close to _me,_ cost her the dream of being a Huntress and ruined her life in so many other—"

Bulma stepped to face her with a clap of her heel, only one hand on the helm, her nostrils flared. "You stow _that_ garbage _right now!"_

"Wait, hold on a… what—" Blake spluttered, uncertain she should take offense.

Bulma pressed the attack. "Stop _punishing_ yourself for doing the _right thing!_ If _'Adam'_ hurts people over you, _you_ didn't hurt them!" Bulma released the helm altogether to plant her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. Sun rushed over to keep them from sailing into a cliff. _"He's_ the problem, and we're gonna deal with him. This _isn't_ the kind of thing you beat by yourself! And if your friend really _would_ blame you for what happened, I say she _deserved_ getting cut down to size!"

"No! No no," Blake insisted eyes wide as she suppressed an illicit giggle. "Yang wouldn't _say_ that, she—"

"Ah…" Bulma crooned, eyes lit up. "So you _do_ realize it! So if your friends don't _blame_ you, and you're not in the wrong, then you have _no_ good reason to put this on yourself."

Sun shrugged, still steering the boat. "I mean, she's got a point."

Blake sighed. "I know. Guilty conscience, I guess. It's just hard not to feel… like, even if I came around before I sank to his level, the choice to get out should have been made earlier, and maybe if I had… it wouldn't have gone this far."

Sun gestured at the sea before them. "Well hey, if you hadn't, Adam would've done all this anyway, right? And _we_ wouldn't be here right now putting a _stop_ to it."

Blake smiled, ears wiggling to perk up with her grin. "Hmm." She couldn't really argue with that.

Bulma saw a flashing on the nav screen and practically bowled Sun over to retake the helm, killing the throttle and flicking a switch, the anchor dropping from the bow with a splash as chain fed over the top in a zip. "Speaking of, pleasure cruise is over… Cape London Bay, just around the bend."

Blake leapt out onto the bow. The craggy red stone was invariant, but she knew they were here regardless.

"Interesting your GPS works at all without a satellite network," Bulma mused. "Unless you have an array of antigrav broadcasting pods or high altitude towers, the only land-based equivalent I can think up involves cold-atom interferometry… and that's _pretty_ sophisticated if you've _never even been to space_. _"_

"Alright," Blake muttered, staring at the digital map. "High tide, so Adam's already in and everything is locked down. I _really_ hope your plan works, Bulma."

Bulma reached into her case of capsules. " 'Bout to find out," she said, hitting the plunger and tossing one overboard.

There was a shimmering spray as the dynocap went off, a rainbow of colors from the sunlight filtering through the mist. The surrounding water boiled and foamed around the eggshell white sphere that had emerged, a glass canopy opening like a clam shell to admit its pilot.

"I'm still not used to that," Blake remarked at the techno wonder.

"Would have been a submarine, but that got crab-nabbed," Bulma explained in apology. "It's really just meant for quick escapes, but it'll do what we need for now."

"We all gonna fit?" Sun asked, noting the single seat. "Looks kinda… cramped."

Bulma took a running start and leapt into the seat. She found a switch behind her and a hatch extended to a space behind it. "Like I said, escape pod. But there's some room back here. Generally to connect with undersea airlocks, but hey, beggars and choosers. Get in."

The Huntsmen nimbly hopped upon the small vessel, slipping behind the seat until their heads alone sat over Bulma's shoulders, peering over.

"Augh! _Sun!"_ Blake admonished, trying to peer over at her friend. "Personal space, please!"

Sun groaned. "Sorry, I can't help it! Now I know what a sardine feels like…"

Blake leered. "Don't butter _me_ up…"

Bulma soundly ignored them, pulling out yet another capsule, this one with an actual suction cup at its neck. She tossed it skyward, then grabbing the stick-like ergonomic controls. A pair of comically oversized hands on steely arms shot out the pod's sides and neatly caught the cap between a thumb and forefinger, then planting the suction cup on the boat's side. In moments the ship appeared almost to glow, and burst all at once into white smoke. All that remained was a length of chain where the bow had been, which plunked into the sea with a splash.

Bulma's face went pink, a bashful grin plastered upon it. "I… owe your folks an anchor."

But Sun and Blake stared into the water to find nothing but the dynocap bobbing like a cork on the surface.

The pod scooped it out of the water, reaching back to where Bulma could idly snatch it, offering it to a bemused Blake. "Here, our options are a little better this way. Bonus, our tracks are covered if anyone does patrols out here. Just don't set it off till you need it…"

Blake stared at the little capsule in her hand, still trying to fathom that the whole boat they'd ridden in was now neatly tucked away as to fit in her pocket. "Right."

"Okay, seadogs!" Bulma cried. "Down we go!"

The canopy snapped down and sealed, before the great metal arms paddled around through the water before knifing both hands in and diving beneath the waves in a curtain of froth and bubbles. Sunlight filtered through the foggy blue that now surrounded them, the surface above shimmering and growing more distant as they sank.

" _Whoa…"_ Sun exclaimed in hushed awe, a thin kelp forest rising to meet them, hypnotically swaying with the current as it eerily surged in and out.

"Never been?" Bulma asked, a school of silvery fish dashing past as the light above grew ever so slightly dimmer.

"No," Blake answered, as the sandy bottom came into view.

"Not a lot of… y'know, _ocean_ in Vacuo," Sun offered, uncharacteristically quiet.

"Deploy legs…" Bulma muttered, a whirring heard in the lower section of the pod as she worked a complicated pedal system. In moments they all heard and felt the thick, waterlogged thud as they finally struck the ocean floor, a plume of grainy sand clouding the water. "...and _touchdown!_ Alright, here we go."

She spun the control sticks, the machine hands curling into fists as it suddenly bounded through the water, cutting through past coral and a wary grouper before touching ground once more. Before long, they were moon-bouncing through the murk at a steady pace.

"Alright!" Sun cried, head nodding appreciatively. "So even if they've got radar or something…"

"Sonar," Blake and Bulma corrected at once.

" _Or_ that," Sun agreed, "they won't track us down here!"

Bulma found a patch of empty sand and comfortably idled forward, turning to face him completely. "Yep," Bulma affirmed, "steady road from here."

She shared a friendly glance with Sun, before his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Uh…"

"Hm? What?" Bulma asked, facing forward with a snap, seeing nothing but a flush of sand in a current racing to the right of them.

"A _tail,"_ Blake said, a firm hand gripping Bulma's shoulder. "Whatever it was, it's _big."_

Bulma brought the tiny mech to a stop, landing heavy on both feet as she readied its arms. They twisted left and right, checking for any signs of life.

Nothing.

Bulma let out a breath. "I guess it swam off or—"

They all jolted with the impact as a mouth full of teeth loomed from the left and snapped shut upon the mech's arm.

" _Mother flounder!"_ Bulma shrieked, fighting to regain control as she stared into a glowing orange eye attached to a broad black head, its underside white. Above its clamping jaws were several pits lining its snout.

The creature released the mech as the right fist dully collided with its head, mouth open in threat as it drifted back to reveal its full form. The neck went on over its curving girth to its tail, such that neither ended nor began. A dorsal gossamer fin ran the entire length of its muscled body.

"Giant _eel?!"_

"A _Grimm!"_ Sun noted.

"A _what?!"_

"An _Abaia,"_ Blake finished as it stared them down.

"Well which _is_ it?!" Bulma demanded, just before the beast whipped into a somersault, its tail lashing at them from a distance. A tremendous current threw a line of sand into the air before the entire mech was blasted backwards by the force and embedded with a dusty crunch unto a cluster of coral.

"Damn it!" Bulma cried, working to right themselves. "This craft doesn't have any weapons; how do I spook it so it leaves us alone?!"

" _What?!_ It's a _Grimm!"_ Blake reiterated. "It's not _going_ to back off! It isn't _hunting,_ it's trying to _kill us."_

"Then I need a better way to fight it!"

Blake considered. "Is there a way to get outside?"

Bulma sighed. "Not without flooding us, if you mean something human! All I have is just for smaller objects!"

Blake reached back, pulling out the katana half of Gambol Shroud. "This work?!"

Bulma stared. "I don't know… might be too bi—"

Even as she said it, the blade hinged back along the pistol part of it, becoming far more compact.

"Okay," Bulma said, still pondering. "Rather have something like a spear, but with machine strength behind it—"

They all cried out as the Abaia lunged forward again, teeth scraping over their canopy as it carried them all back through the water.

"Whatever, give it here!" Bulma shouted, eyeing the needle teeth in terror as Blake shoved the blade in her hands.

"Do _not_ lose my weapon."

What had looked like a glove box opened to reveal a space not much larger than a game console, and Bulma wasted no time sliding it in and slamming the door shut. There was a noise of working servos before bubbles danced across the canopy and Grimm over it, and the mechanical hand reached for the relatively shank-like weapon.

The other arm pried the worming mass of darkness off of them as she held Gambol Shroud in the other hand, before a sheepish expression overtook her. "Um… so… how do I make it be a _sword_ again?"

There was a silent second before Sun smacked his own forehead. "Ohhhh, _right…"_

Then the pits in the creature's snout glowed blue before the mech's electrical system seized as lightning arced across their entire field of vision.

In moments they were flat on their backs as the Grimm gained distance, but slowly circled back, still radiating with an electric current.

"Where's the switch?!" Bulma demanded, the hand fumbling with the dark weapon. "This thing's sausage fingers aren't exactly articulate!"

"There's no _button_ , Bulma!" Blake explained. "It's Aura activated, you have to channel your _Aura_ through it and _will_ it to change!"

"M-my _will?"_

"Yes, and you've got _plenty!"_ Blake replied. "Don't even _think_ about it, just _make_ it happen… you can do it, Bulma."

The arm reached for the pistol grip, enclosing it easily. Bulma took a breath. The creature surged towards them, somersaulting again as bolts charged over its long body.

And then it happened, the katana's innards working as it snapped back into a proper blade. Bulma gasped, before narrowing her eyes and taking action.

They all heard the wailing screech of the Abaia as, in the backswing of sending an electrical shockwave, its tail was sliced clean off.

Bulma's fists, in both senses, shot up as she broke out into a triumphant grin. _"I DID it!"_

"Don't let up!" Sun advised. "I think you just made it _mad."_

Indeed, even as black ink trailed from its wound, the Grimm only became more aggressive, turning to strike like a snake, getting slashed across the face for its efforts as Bulma hacked away rather clumsily.

"So help me, I'm having unagi for dinner!" Bulma blustered angrily as she fought.

Inevitably however, Bulma landed a solid stab into its body, and even as it roared in agony, the mech's systems sent off sparks and flashed chaotically while current jolted all but their insulated cabin.

But as the beast drifted off again, they fell onto their backs as the mech went still. Bulma pulled and twisted the sticks that had suddenly gone lock stiff. "No no no no no, we've lost motor control! Reboot reboot _reboot!_ "

They stared up at the eel's black figure, rippling against the bright blue surface as it doubled back. Steadily however, it began drawing closer again. Bulma checked the readout, which registered… "We don't _have_ ten seconds!" she shouted at the timer, flicking switches and resetting minor systems as she tried to think. "One more shot like that and we're just canned goods on the— _SWEET DEAD KAMI, I'VE GOT IT!"_ she suddenly blared, eyebrows risen at her own cleverness.

The two Huntsmen watched as she flicked one more switch and pulled out another empty dynocap, even as the eel returned its attention to them, charging as it wound through the water. Bulma inserted the cap into a slot that looked more like a cigarette lighter port, which accepted it readily.

"Go!" she said, flicking the same switch again, as they watched the tiny thing shoot through the water like a miniaturized torpedo. It sailed past the Grimm as it neared them, just as the mecha blinked to life, the reboot complete. "Brace for it!" she cried, as the pod whirled around to face the sandy floor, embedding Gambol Shroud in a nearby rock and holding the grip with both hands.

The capsule shredded any calm in the sea as it suddenly sucked at its surroundings. Water was siphoned along with it and dragged kelp towards its center. A tendril of air slowly threaded down from the surface as a whirlpool formed above then. The Grimm stood no chance. Feet from their craft, it screeched as it fought the current. But the insatiable force claimed it at last, even as the very sand beneath the mech began to drift up in rivulets.

But moments later it all stopped, and taking its place was a wash of current as the ocean closed the slight gap.

Bulma flipped them upright again, catching the resulting capsule which floated down from above.

"You _caught_ it?" Blake asked, surprised yet again.

Bulma nodded. "It, and like, a million odd gallons of seawater."

"It can't escape from that?" Sun asked, wincing as if it might explode.

"Not anymore. Dynocaps can't sustain life. All neural and cardiac activity stops dead inside. You couldn't _imagine_ the disclaimers we've had to post…"

With the creature conquered they traced the sea wall until they found the clear outsider: a great barnacle encrusted iron door thirty feet down from the waterline. It wasn't sophisticated, nor sealed, merely painted the same color as the stone to match at a distance. They floated before it, the buoyancy regulators keeping them level. Upon the door was a simple numeric keypad.

"What do you think?" Bulma asked, one of the mech's fingers already extending a precision pointer to match the keys. "No cameras, but are they the type to trip an alarm on submerged access, or the wrong code?"

"They'd be careful," Blake affirmed, "but the White Fang aren't renowned for having much in the way of engineers. My Dad told me they contracted humans to design it and then just followed a blueprint. Didn't go so well the first time."

"First…?" Sun inquired.

Blake winced. "Well, they _tried_ to build it originally at Jack's Point, closer to home…"

"You mean they _sank_ it," Bulma said, rolling her eyes as Blake nodded beside her. "Not shocking, contracting people to do something this ambitious. Let's assume a three strike lockout alarm…" The finger-stylus approached the keys. "Three...two-two...one, three."

A red LED strobed for a second, but remained silent.

"Okay, maybe add the pound sign?" Bulma said to herself, before plugging the digits in a second time. The red LED flashed as before, and the iron door remained deathly still. Bulma sighed. "Sonava'..."

"Ilia told them the code was compromised, they must have changed it," Blake concluded, glaring at the keypad.

"Or it just knows not to open underwater," Bulma countered.

"Guess we can see how well your sword works as a crowbar?" Sun suggested.

Bulma turned to stare in surprise. "Huh? The sword has a freaking _hinge_ built into it! I'm surprised it hasn't snapped in two already, let alone doing _tha—"_

"It's an aluminum/steel alloy forged under grav-dust compression treatment and _generally_ Aura-hardened," Blake blurted, stung. "Those hinges take the strain _just fine."_

Bulma stared, eyebrows shooting into her hair. "You… built it yourself?"

"Yes," Blake said flatly, almost daring Bulma to challenge her over it.

"Okay, well, time to see how advanced this is…" Bulma deflected, back to the task at hand. Each of the mech's fingers opened to reveal a suite of small tools. As if conducting a mechanized orchestra, it all set to work removing the keypad piece by piece until the pad hung limply to a clear polycarbonate case, three mounted copper wires sealed and safe from the ocean.

"Ha! Yeah, consumer grade security." Bulma exclaimed. "Well, this'll be easy." And then she tore the plastic casing clean off.

"Bulma, _wait,_ you don't!—"

There was a bright blue spark as the wires met salt water, shorting in an instant before Blake or Sun could stop her.

"Open Sesame!" Bulma sang, before the door gave a heavy, screeching lurch and lifted into the ceiling, revealing the dark interior as gears along the sides spun with a thick clatter that passed through the water with ease. "Seriously though, that wouldn't trip a real alarm, the pad just sends a signal on wrong entries. Run current through the water and it hits each wire, including the signal to open the door."

"They're not going to notice that?" Blake asked as Bulma activated the mech's forward lamps and floated inside.

"Did you see how new that casing looked?" Bulma asked. "That seal must break pretty frequently. Even if they do notice, they won't assume intrusion till we're long gone. This is the sort of place where on certain weeks the door is just stuck open…"

The submerged dock within was only designed to harbor a few small craft, which were presently bobbing safely in cutouts in the stone ceiling, air pockets and a collapsible steel cage keeping them safely aligned in high tides.

"That our way through?" Sun asked.

Blake considered. "No. They wouldn't force themselves to wait till the tide rose that high."

"Pretty sure it's the lit one," Bulma said gazing left at the air pocket attached to an actual ladder on the sunken walkways, a bright shimmering square. "Classic moon-pool/wet porch design. And if it _likely_ has surface ventilation, it's probably safe to poke in. First thing's first though…"

Bulma leveled with the keel of the two boats, Gambol Shroud still in hand. Like punching a hole in a watermelon she stabbed each below the waterline. "Yeah, I think that'll buy us some time."

With that, they ascended the ladder and surfaced, the mech pawing its way onto solid ground of what looked akin to the inside of a submarine. They each hopped out as the canopy opened, the humid air washing over them, stale from stagnation. Blake retrieved her katana-gun from the mech's grip, shaking the saltwater off of it ruefully.

Sun stretched himself out, groaning in delight. "Good to be outta that… so what now?"

Blake pointed her thumb at the only bulkhead door, roughly oval in shape and painted white like the rest of it. They followed her lead, stepping slowly. A single window saw through to a room no bigger than a phone booth, and yet another door across from it.

"Yep, airlock," Bulma muttered. "Only way through, doors locked from the other side."

"Can we have the robot just _bust_ it down?" Sun asked. "I mean, if it's what we've got it's what we've got…"

Bulma shook her head furiously. "We're still below sea level, and the rest of the base has surface ventilation!"

Sun stared. "So?"

Bulma spluttered, but Blake nodded. "So we equalize pressure and this little haven we're standing in floods to submerge the whole base."

Bulma took a breath. "Yes, exactly. Hard to survey or rescue anyone if they're busy drowning."

"So we're just _stuck here?"_ Sun demanded. "Sierra Khan—"

" _Sienna."_

—"could get the axe any minute!"

Bulma nodded, deep in thought. "We just need another way to…"

"What's in this?" Blake asked, indicating a sheet metal box in the corner, angling into the base proper a head above the ground.

Bulma glared at it. "That's _impossible."_ she declared. "There's no _way_ they put a surface duct _here!_ Seriously?! An idiot with a sledgehammer could reach their front door, punch this in and _doom_ the whole base?!"

"An _air_ duct?" Blake asked, eyes like pinpricks. "Seriously? A man-sized air duct?"

Sun watched in confusion as both wrestled with the existence of this spy trope made real, this affront to reason and practicality. Somehow, Bulma managed to calm her throbbing mind.

"Okay… okay… If I'm _not_ having a fever dream, we'll have limited access, but still _access_. We'll seal the pod and use the docking port in its back, cut a hole in the duct and then weld that hole to the seal and crawl in."

"Will… that work?" Blake asked, trying to follow.

"Eh… I've done harder with less," Bulma told her, already reaching for the pod's emergency tool kit, complete with an acetylene torch. She pulled the trigger, a jewel blue blame hissing out.

* * *

"Yeah, Atlas is tapped out, so next stop for me is probably Vale," the smuggling pilot shared, his helmet seated upon the bar table as they finally got a look at his face, hard brows light over green eyes and beneath a mop of wavy brown helmet hair. "The outer townships, I mean. Travel ban bred a scarcity, so at least like this I keep a clear conscience… get stuff to folks in need, all that crap."

"A lovely notion," Weiss told him, sipping her strawberry martini, more out of politeness than anything else. She wasn't a fan of alcohol on account of her mother, but given all their social functions and the lax enforcement, she was quite used to it. As it turned out, liquor sales in Mistral were permissible as young as seventeen years of age, so their smuggler chauffeur incurred less risk than expected in buying her a drink… which was to say _none._

Well, aside from the ever expanding risk to his pocketbook, as Vegeta tore through the short menu of appetizers: the establishment's sole food items. Weiss and the pilot were doing all they could to pretend he wasn't stripping chicken wings at a rate piranhas might respect, not breaking his resting scowl as even the other patrons couldn't resist staring. He wasn't even rude about it. The food just vanished, like sleight of hand in a magic act.

It wasn't a fancy bar. It was just part of the airship terminal: a Mistralian themed sports bar dubbed —in rather poor taste per Weiss' opinion— _'The Baggage Claim.'_ Which beside its cynical play on words was also unhelpful and confusing to new arrivals.

Vegeta finally took a breath, a hostess in flowing attire swooping in after another emptied plate, as though she'd have lost the flesh on _her_ hands if she lingered. The pilot finally looked at him properly. "Guess I'm not shocked you're balancing things out. I don't know what it takes to shake off a _bottle_ of straight absinthe, but that's a fine start."

"Saiyan metabolism…" Vegeta managed between mouthfuls, "...far exceeds _your_ kind."

Weiss winced. "I think he got over the drink inside of a minute."

"Saiyan, huh?" the pilot asked, examining the bill left by their server and holding it at varying distances, as if getting the focus right would reveal a different sum. "What kingdom are _they_ by?"

"The Saiyan race is nearly extinct, but our sovereignty sat apart."

"Right… but where?" he said, the number on his scroll reflecting the bill before he tapped a white lien chit, which promptly shimmered patent green as the funds were transferred.

"Vegeta."

Weiss perked up, questioning that she heard right. "The _land_ is called…?"

"The _planet."_

The pilot reached for the empty absinthe bottle, examining its label. "Hundred proof… yep. So what's next for you two?" he said, stool screeching along the floor as he stood up, dropping the green chit atop the bill.

Weiss finished the last of her drink in well practiced silence. "My sister Winter is stationed with the Atlas forces here. With any luck, I'll find her and at least we can figure it out from there."

The hostess, who had collected the last of their tableware and pay, took sudden interest, sleek black hair swaying as she turned. "Atlas? I'm afraid your sister's likely _gone_ , miss."

Weiss snapped around. "Wait, gone?! How do you mean?"

The hostess lowered her serving tray, slouching respectfully. "The Atlas lockdown also ordered a recall to _all_ overseas forces. If she's with Atlas, she'd be no exception."

"That's _insane!"_ Weiss cried, standing up as well while Vegeta watched, impassive. "Mistral is all well and good, but Vale is _crippled!_ So the lockdown isn't just a civilian precaution, it's total isolationism?!"

The hostess shook her head with sympathy. "That's just what _I_ know. The withdrawal was quite sudden though. I suppose it's possible for there to be stragglers."

"Thank you," Weiss said curtly, grabbing her case, heels clapping as she made for the door.

"And just where are _you_ running off to?" Vegeta demanded, not even raising his voice. Still she stopped dead.

"To find my sister," she said plainly.

Vegeta closed the distance between them slowly. "Yes, and then?"

She shrugged. "Well, find what's left of my team, I guess."

He scoffed. "Your _team._ Do you expect I'll train _them_ as well? If you're not a complete waste of my time, they'll scarcely be more than a burden to you."

Weiss sighed. "No, I don't expect that. You let _me_ worry about them."

"That's not really the point," the Prince said, following her out the door. "I said _stop!"_

She obliged, turning in the corridor to face him, the rest of Mistral just beyond the hall. When she waited, he spoke again.

"Let me spell out _exactly_ where we stand: I am _not_ your traveling companion. And _you_ are not free to leave wherever you like. I didn't agree to teach you just to kill time. You'll see this through till you've learned, or it becomes clear you don't have what it takes. I agreed, because _you_ might be of use to _me_ as a lieutenant.

"Once we've dealt with the other being of power that prowls your world, you're free to do as you wish. But make no mistake… until that time, I _own_ you."

Weiss recoiled, his words striking her, forcing her to act _somehow._ "I _never_ agreed to any such thing!" she said in a stage whisper, wary of causing a scene and attracting rescuers. "That wasn't the deal!"

"There _was_ no deal. I'm dictating terms _now."_ Vegeta gave a wicked smile. "You're in _no_ position to refuse. Come now, _girl,_ you're a poor judge of character if you didn't figure on this. Remember, you came to a scoundrel like _me_. _"_

Weiss didn't answer immediately, scowling in silence as a rare crowd of arrivals shuffled by. "I'm _not_ just going to do whatever you say."

He chuckled, raising his palm flatly in her direction. "But you _will."_ A brilliant gold sphere hummed into existence in his hand. "Know this: even were your full power made available, I am over a _hundred fold_ what you are. Only _one_ being on this planet could even _challenge_ me, and _he_ is an even greater threat to your kind than _I…_ So you will do as I command, learn under me, and we _may_ just save your little world."

They stared at each other, Weiss brimming with anger as she felt the heat of the energy aimed for her. "My father kept me under his thumb _my entire life…!_ I suffered and worked and _sacrificed_ to get out… and I'm not letting the first person I run into put a leash on me again!" She reached out with both hands, gripping his wrist as she winced. _"D-Do it…!_ I will _never_ submit to anyone in fear _again!_ Not like I did to _him…!"_

Vegeta's eyebrows raised, the blast still humming in his hand. For a moment, every trace of a smile had been replaced with thin-lipped contemplation.

"What are you waiting for?!" Weiss demanded, her grip intensifying. She refused to close her eyes.

"Hmm!" Vegeta grunted, as the grin returned. Passersby couldn't help glancing over as the sphere vanished, and he instead unleashed a blast of laughter. _"Pride…!_ And the spine to back it, if not the power… I didn't even feel you _tremble._ It takes sheer nerve or unbridled psychopathy to stir the sleeping wrath of the _Super Saiyan_ and invite what comes next…"

" _Super_ Saiyan?" she breathed, grip slackening even as she awaited the killing blow.

He chuckled again. "Never mind. I advise that you let go."

"Our situation hasn't changed." Weiss answered.

The ease of her grip was all he needed to rip his hand away, arms crossing even as she stumbled. "No, not really. But I'm still in the planning phase for dealing with that bastard, and I've little else better to do. And with your ambition, I doubt you'll refuse our common goal."

She flexed her fingers. "How can I be sure _you're_ not the one we need to worry about?"

He closed his eyes. "You _don't,_ but you won't say that once you've met Frieza himself. Point is, I'm a lot more likely to let you and your kind _live."_

Weiss sighed. "Can we find my sister now?"

He shrugged. "If it means leaving this port, by all means… If I see that pilot again, I feel I won't resist destroying him."

Weiss gave an exasperated sigh.

* * *

It had been touch and go, but Bulma had successful cut and welded the duct to the emergency port. There had been a _few_ scares, like the realization that lighting a hot flame in an enclosed space sealed off to exterior air wasn't conducive to breathing. But in the end it had worked out, and the wet porch chamber was only knee-high with seawater between breaching the air duct and sealing it all together.

Bulma was liking this 'Aura' business more and more. Despite what the movies would tell you, air ducts were _not_ designed for human travel. Their fit through the first bend from the mech had been a cramped, claustrophobic exercise in contortion, and the passive shielding of Bulma's Aura had prevented the razor sharp sheet metal from cutting her.

Thankfully, the bit of duct large enough for them to traverse tapering off, they had discovered a better mode of travel.

Sun's foot kicked out the slitted vent and they each crawled out. Harsh, half eroded sandstone was all around them. Blake looked behind to see the ducts traveling alongside the heavy steel corridors, ceiling of the same stone unevenly passing above it.

"Well, this is an improvement," Sun noted, nodding to himself.

"W-where are we now?" Bulma asked, blinking around. "Shoot, did I bring a flashlight?!"

"Flashlight?" Blake asked, reeling around at Bulma, whose eyes couldn't find hers. Then the penny dropped. "Oh, of course…" She squeezed Bulma's hand, watching her jump slightly. "Bulma, faunus like us all have night vision."

"Wow, seriously?"

"Yes, and that means Sun and I can see you perfectly. It _also_ means… well, can you make out those squares?" Blake guided her hand, bidding her to look at what she could see were bright single squares of light at regular intervals. "This must have been a natural cavern they dug out and turned into a bunker, and we're in a crawlspace where the fit was imperfect. Those squares are access vents, and since everyone _else_ here is a faunus, your light is really gonna give us away."

Bulma's eyes sank. "So I'm stuck in the dark?"

Blake knew she couldn't see it, but smiled kindly. "Hold my hand and I'll guide you."

"Won't I just slow you down?"

Sun shook like a dog ridding itself of water. "What? You kidding me?"

"What…?" Bulma asked, perplexed.

"Bulma…" Blake began. "I can't stress enough. I had my doubts, but… you've been _amazing!_ We barely had a plan coming here, and if not for you, I think we'd have blown our cover already fighting that Grimm or getting through that door. We couldn't have gotten this far without you."

Bulma blushed in the dark. "Well… yes… that _is_ true."

Blake giggled. "So if we come across something in here we can't sneak around or force our way past, we want you with us for option three."

Bulma nodded, beaming. "Well of _course_ you would."

"So, stealth being _my_ thing, just follow my lead… Watch your footfalls, heel-toe steps if we _need_ to walk on the metal. I'll pinch your hand if it's okay to talk, do the same if there's something wrong."

With that, they carefully walked, crawled and climbed through the access caverns, occasionally looking through the vents for anything of note. After a particularly tight squeeze, they encountered the largest sections yet. One was merely the mess hall, another a barracks and training center. But finally…

"Throne room!" Sun cried out, both girls instantly shushing him in the dark.

"No doubt about it," Blake muttered, peering through the gap. Unlike the rest of Lower Shambhala, which seemed little more than a bunker, the cavernous room at forty feet in height was largely comprised of stone. Smooth brickwork lined the floor, a red carpet with gold accents running between the raised, empty throne and great door. Banners bearing the emblem of the beast and clawmark were draped along columns stretching to the ceiling, and statues of hooded, armed figures sat within insets along the walls between them.

"Wow, take themselves pretty seriously, don't they?" Bulma muttered, noting the stark contrast with the rest of the base.

"Nobody's here," Sun said, unnecessarily. "Did we miss it?"

Blake hummed, amber eyes searching the room. "No sign of a struggle. No blood. They _couldn't_ clean it up that fast. It must not have happened yet. They wouldn't be in a hurry either, Ilia's scroll said they'd been shuffling Adam's sympathizers onto the base's staff, so nearly _everyone_ is on his side. He wouldn't need to hide it from anyone stationed here."

"So… we wait?" Sun asked.

Blake sighed. "So we wait…" She pulled out her scroll. "Bulma, the moment this starts, record everything you can, like I showed you."

Bulma took it, fiddling with the barely understood device before giving a nod.

And so they waited, lying in the dry, cold cave for what felt like hours. As the minutes wore on, that ever sneaking doubt entered Blake's thoughts. If they had changed the passcode due to Ilia's scroll being stolen, could they have changed anything _else?_ Certainly not the date? Sienna Khan had arranged the meet herself…

But no sooner had they resigned to the notion than a side chamber hidden in the walls had opened, and in strode the High Leader herself at an agitated pace.

Bulma gave a soft gasp as she readied the scroll. "Oh my gosh, she's _beautiful…!"_

Indeed, Sienna Khan was an imposing, impressive presence. Dark caramel skin was striped many shades darker across her arms, making her eyes —the same shade as Blake's— seem to glow. Tigress ears sprouted from jet black hair that barely touched her shoulders, but was wild as a surging river. A red gem sat upon her forehead, apart from the various rings adorning her person. She wore a flowing ensemble of crimson, black and sandy beige.

She gave a snap, signaling a contingent of guards with steely spears to enter through the main door, arranging themselves in ceremony before staying put. Only then, having stood perfectly still for the duration, did Sienna sit down to glare at the door.

"I'll see him now," she commanded, before the doors opened again. The doors cracked open heavily, echoing over the stone as another stepped in. Clad in black, a kimono over long pants, the man stepped forth, chokutō and sheath —dubbed 'Wilt' and 'Blush' respectively— at his side. Two horns poked up to blend with red hair, chaotically streaked darker in spots. His Grimm-like mask hid much of his expression behind four thin eye slits, but it didn't hide the assured grin below it.

"Whoa…!" Sun exclaimed quietly. "Is that—?"

" _Adam,"_ Blake hissed, unconsciously gripping her blade handle.

"High Leader Khan," Adam Taurus began, strolling in. "You said my presence was required?"

"Yes," Sienna said, eyes steely. "If you understood your position, you'd wipe that _smirk_ off your face. For months you avoided this meeting, so I hope you've taken that time to redeem yourself in the eyes of the White Fang. _My_ eyes."

Adam's frown did sour a shade, himself taking a breath. "I came here when I could _afford_ to… and I'm not sure what you mean. Redemption for what?"

"You have done much for the faunus in the past," Sienna projected as she raised her voice, bending far over in her throne, "but these slights, these insults you've made of late… to _me_ and your _people…_ You have exhausted my goodwill, and it is by what remains of my mercy that you were not _killed_ on sight!"

The smile left Adam's face completely. He was still, inscrutable. "You still haven't told me my crime."

" _BEACON!"_ Sienna roared at last, her eyes huge with fury. "This is too far, Adam! The repercussions of your attack are now felt far and wide by the faunus! Those that vilify us are poised to act upon their hatred! Those who _tolerated_ us now _driven_ into the arms of the humans that would enslave and _destroy_ us! The Transit system, gone, crippling our _own_ efforts with humanity's! And these humans allies of yours, criminals who the world has seen _use_ us like common dogs! And these… _others_ among them, whose motives you cannot _possibly_ know!"

Her words literally rang through the throne room. Adam stood, statuesque as he waited.

"Adam Taurus…" she began again, concern and patience returning to her demeanor, "the White Fang is fierce… for we are _small_. The faunus are outnumbered ten to one! We keep the humans at bay, make them _fear_ and _respect_ us… but their full attention, united against _us,_ was _NEVER_ sought! You have awoken a sleeping giant, and filled it with a _terrible_ resolve…!"

She let the weight of her words fall, the three hidden far above hanging on to each of them.

"She sounds almost _reasonable,"_ Bulma said with surprise.

"She does," Blake said, eyes softening, "but really it's just the instinct of a cornered animal… and sometimes the best approach _defies_ instinct outright. Sometimes the best weapon to fight oppression isn't a weapon at all."

"Outnumbered," Adam scoffed, his smile returning. "That's fair odds. Because I'd say a faunus is worth _ten_ humans any day."

Sienna merely shook her head, eyes narrowing.

He continued. _"We're_ the next step in evolution. We're all that they are, but _more._ Our siege _proved_ their power is a _lie!_ A whole kingdom, hobbled overnight, the rest of them scattered and confused! We can _win_ , put the humans in their place and take what's rightfully ours!"

"You've completely lost your _mind,"_ Sienna whispered, eyeing him as though she'd never seen him properly. "What has happened to you? Have you _completely_ forgotten that waiting beyond this fight for equality, the _Grimm_ lie, ready to descend upon the survivors of your war?! For all the troubles we've endured, the Kingdoms are a necessary evil. You are so intent upon your own hate that you forget the Grimm _agree_ we're equal to humanity _…"_

Adam laughed softly, with clear excitement. "But that's the _best part._ That's the secret. We needn't fear the Grimm any longer. Hazel!"

The doors opened heavily, and in strode a mountain of a man. Sienna stood up immediately. "What _is_ this?!" she demanded. "How dare you let someone _barge_ into this c— Is… is _he…?!"_

The man didn't stop. Clad in an olive green coat, broad faced with walnut hair and a beard that swept from his sideburns to his chin, he was as imposing in form as he was by his very entrance.

"A representative of the humans who aided our attack on Beacon," Adam explained, teeth just visible in his smile. "Their master has sovereignty over the Grimm themselves! The beasts were weaponized, domesticated and thrown at the gates of the Huntsmen until—"

" _Until naught but the Grimm inhabited it!"_ Sienna concluded, fury mounting. "I can have you _killed_ for this, Taurus! A _human?!_ In _Lower Shambhala?!_ How did you even bring him this far?!"

Adam only smirked. "That's not important. I've seen them summon a great dragon from the earth which laid waste to their city. I'd think you might at least be interested at men behind such power."

Hazel offered a smile. "Ma'am, I come with respect for the faunus on behalf of _my_ leader. I'm only here to present you the means to break your stalemate, and give the faunus what's been denied to them. We only ask for your cooperation."

Bulma looked between Blake and Sun, both of which were sporting brows furrowed with confusion. "Someone _you_ know?"

Blake shook her head. _"Command_ the Grimm? What _is_ this…?"

"Do they mean that guy with the hat?" Sun asked. "Lampwick, or whatever?"

Below Sienna Khan glared at Hazel. "Your master? I've been reading every report on Vale that's left the continent; my information tells me Roman Torchwick was _killed_ by the same Grimm horde that stormed the city."

Blake reeled. "Torchwick is _dead…?"_

Hazel closed his eyes and gave a gravelly grunt of laughter. "Torchwick? He was common vermin that met with a fate befitting vermin. I answer to someone far above a mere street criminal."

The High Leader's eyes narrowed. "If by accident, then your control is incomplete… if by design, then your master's opinion of the expendable is the sort _I_ will not share. Are _we_ to be the next _'vermin,'_ discarded and unmourned by these… _people,_ once we have fulfilled their purpose?"

"Ma'am, nothing could be further—"

" _I've heard enough!"_ Sienna cried with finality. "Adam… you are a _fool!_ You have been manipulated, and your division _used_ for pawns. And if the Grimm, the enemy of human and faunus alike, are to be your weapon, then you are a traitor to _either!_ Remove them all from my _sight!"_ She echoed through the room, but not a single guard heeded her command. Her eyes narrowed. "That was not a suggestion! What are you…?"

She fell silent. Her guards failed to meet her eye.

"You put us on the right course, Sienna," Adam explained, "but your way can only take us so far. _They_ have realized that, and sided with _me_. We need a High Leader with the stomach to take us where you couldn't."

Sienna stood frozen. "You expect I'll step down? I think you've quite forgotten what I'm capable of…"

"Let's see," Adam suggested with a grin. _"Kill her."_

" _What?"_ Hazel growled, even as the guards rushed forward.

Hidden in her belt, Sienna Khan pulled a length of chain, ending in a steely blade she began to whirl around herself as a light flail. Even so, the ranks tried to close around her, Adam himself staying back, hand ready at his scabbard.

"We need to go!" Blake insisted, pulling Bulma into her feet as they hurried for the main door. Sun made it first to the space above the hall, staring through the grating to where a pair of guards were barricading the door and sealing Sienna within. With a whirl of his staff Sun choked up on one end and swiftly stabbed through the grating like a medieval murder-hole. The first guard was struck in the back of the head and knocked flat, the other barely reacting before he was struck as well, joining his fellow slumped upon the ground. A simple flick of the staff lifted the bar sealing them in, and little sooner had he managed this than one of the doors was pulled open by Sienna's chain and she slipped through to dart into the halls, a confused shout emanating from the throne room.

"Bulma, stay put, I'm going after her!" Blake told her cerulean friend, even as Adam stalked out the door below with Hazel thundering in his wake.

"You _idiots!"_ Adam cried, drawing his blade at the sight of the unconscious guards. "You let her—"

Bulma gave a sharp gasp as she covered her mouth, preparing for him to skewer the pair, but Hazel's arm closed around his wrist, even as Adam's head perked up to the ceiling.

"Is it not enough for _one_ of your faithful to be slain?" Hazel demanded. "We're sealed in down here, where could she run?"

Adam growled. "I'll thank you not to tell me how to conduct my own affairs."

"And for _that_ matter, are you so starved for blood that you'll reward your own advocate with a knife in the ribs?"

Adam calmed himself, sheathing his blade. "You heard her. She wants no place in our new world. She'll only be a hindrance, a backslider like the Belladonnas. She took our offer and threw it in our faces."

Hazel crossed his arms. "Forget so soon? Cinder got the same treatment from you when _she_ came calling. You were forgiven, and _made_ to see the truth of things."

"I'm of an open mind. _She_ is mired in the past.I _began_ the tradition of adopting humanity's fear of the Grimm to strengthen ourselves. If I could only have known it would be a _prophetic_ act… but when faced with the sign, I didn't refuse destiny _twice."_

"Hmm," Hazel intoned. "Know this… In doing what we do, sometimes people need to die. That is _not_ my goal. _Cinder_ might be keen to throw lives away, and so you take after her methods… but one day, you'll come to appreciate the value of a life… even the misguided ones."

Bulma watched in silence as he only appeared to stare at Hazel, before turning and brusquely following the clatter of guards that passed them.

* * *

Sienna was running short of ground and she knew it. She was well ahead of her pursuers, but the bunker was only so big, and she had no idea who if anyone she could trust. And she couldn't fight them _all_.

She heard a scuffling overhead as she rounded a corner, and jumped nearly out of her skin as she saw the girl with raven hair hanging upside down from the ceiling, arms extended.

"Sienna, grab my hand!"

She complied. She didn't understand it, but there was no threat here. She was hoisted up into the dark to see a monkey boy replace the grate they entered through. No sooner had they made it up than the contingent of guards stormed past below. They waited for the sounds to fade as Sienna stared curiously at her rescuer. "You… you're Ghira and Khali's girl."

She nodded. "Blake. This is Sun..."

"Yo!"

"...and we're getting you _out_ of here."

She gazed around the stony crawlspace. "I'd nearly forgotten these old caverns were still out here. How in the _world_ did you know I would need help to begin with, let _alone_ slip your way past the defenses?"

"We had some help," Sun explained shortly. "But Adam's been planning this a _while,_ by the look a' things."

"Well you'll all be _commended,"_ Sienna told the pair. "Their plans endanger not only the White Fang, but the faunus as a _whole._ I didn't part ways with your family on exemplary terms, but there's no doubt we'll agree what's best for the faunus _here."_

Blake nodded. "What's the best way out?"

"I was headed to the emergency hangar," Sienna Khan explained, pointing. "We keep bullheads fueled and ready under a sealed connection to the surface. We can only open it from the inside with explosive pins."

Blake nodded, checking Gambol Shroud's magazine before taking off with Sun into the darkness. "Alright, but we need to go back for our friend first."

Sienna followed tentatively. "Friend?"

As they shuffled off, Adam Taurus skulked the hall below them. He came to a stop, as his feet nearly stepped through a neat square of red dust on the floor. Hidden eyes stretched between the spot, and the similarly shaped grating directly overhead.

* * *

Bulma sat in the dark, apprehensive to the rumbles of the cavern and the ghoulish echoes of searching White Fang guards in the distance.

Then something reached from the ink and slammed a small hand over her mouth. She tried to scream.

"Bulma it's m— _ARGH!"_ the familiar voice of the attacker shrieked in an unusually high pitch.

Still gagged, Bulma reached behind and clutched firmly at a great deal of hair, as well as something velvety and cool to the touch.

"Ouch…" Sun whispered sympathetically.

Groaning slightly, Blake's voice whispered ruefully, "Bulma… _please_ … let go… of my _ear."_

Realizing her error, Bulma did what was requested, turning to shine the scroll directly at Blake's scowling face. Her hair was still mussed, and the feline ear in question twitched angrily. "I… look, I'm sorry but you shouldn't sneak up on people!"

"Your _friend_ is a _human,"_ Sienna observed with resignation. "Is nothing _sacred_ anymore?"

Bulma slightly soured. "I'm here to help, beggars can't be choosers, all due respect…"

Sienna's eyes looked her over. "I can't place why… but I believe you. We need to make haste. We might hold _some_ advantage traveling this way, but it won't be long before they've guarded the han—"

She stopped as a soft, steady thud began to reach their ears in the distant darkness between them and the place they had come from. Bulma knew she could see far less, but heard a ring of steel, before sparks trailed over the bunkertop ahead. A set of feet were briefly illuminated, before a great red blade slowly glowed into existence, like the coils of a toaster heating up. "You came all this way just to hurt me… to hurt your brothers and sisters… _shame_ on you, _Blake…"_

Bulma had to slam her hands over her ears as Blake's pistol split through the quiet and echoed forever in the ink, the flashes illuminating Adam Taurus as he stalked towards them, sweeping Wilt and catching every shot.

" _Go!"_ Sun shouted, kicking the grate through as Adam's blade and the streaks in his hair and mask burned in the dark.

Sun grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back, shrieking as she fell through to the steel halls below and something soft, warm and _living_ broke her fall. Sun, Sienna and Blake dropped through after, just before a crimson storm tore overhead. There was an awful noise of rending steel as the air itself tore across the ceiling before the force pried a dozen feet of it off like a can opener, curling up to the top of the stone cavern and ringing as it and the surrounding hall rattled and bobbed.

Bulma tore her eyes away to the person she'd landed on as they stirred, a White Fang guard with a gray and red assault rifle. She snatched the somewhat over-large weapon and smashed him in the back of the head with the stock, scooping up his backup magazines. Sun grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, we gotta _go!"_

They sprinted through the hall towards the bend, but only got a few feet before the blood red blade punched down amidst them, through the steel like a great fang. Bulma screamed over the rest of them as they yelped, stooping low as they ran. Peering behind them, Blake saw the blade begin to trail towards them like an inverted shark fin, throwing sparks and glowing as it screeched through the solid steel.

"Hey, _there she is!"_ shouted a number of guards rounding the corner, before weaving back as Blake _and_ Bulma sprayed fire in their direction.

"BACK OFF, BUTTHEADS, THIS FLOWER'S GOT NETTLES!" Bulma screeched as they charged towards the —now defensive— fire.

They heard the voice issue through the grates, echoing and ever present. _"You protect the past and fight change, you deny that the past must die for us to have our future! We need to CLEAVE the rotted limbs so we can stand TALL!"_

" _Against the wall!"_ Blake ordered as the blade raised out of sight. No sooner had they complied than a vertical swath carved through the hallway, bowing the floor and ceiling in all the way to the hall corner which buckled through and into the stone, blasting the area with red dust and knocking the emboldening guards off their feet.

Shellshocked, the group scrambled around the corner past the guards. The impact had left the lights mounted in the walls flickering eerily. Steam from a severed pipe filled the halls as they passed.

" _There's no point, Blake. However you got in, you're not leaving the same way."_

They rounded another corner, Sienna taking the lead to direct them, and stopped dead. Hazel stood at the end of the hall, statuesque. They all stopped, weapons ready. Blake kept glancing behind them as the steam formed a wall to her vision. They heard the tromping of boots down and around the right side of Hazel's T-section. The impassive bruiser turned towards the noise.

"She's fled to the armory," Hazel said, "if you can be quick, you'll have her cornered."

The crowd of guards sprinted across, Hazel himself largely blocking the view of the four as he turned his back to them. The sound dulled, and he turned again, hand sweeping to direct them down the right hall.

They hesitated only a second before sprinting down the hall and past him, their eyes locked with his as he watched them go, then skulking off after the other guards.

"What's _with_ that guy?" Sun demanded. Blake could only shake her head.

They continued unimpeded as quickly and quietly as possible

"They'll have the door surrounded," Sienna told them. "I haven't been on the ground in a time, but I still remember how to lead a blitz maneuver."

Blake dual wielded her blade and cleaver. "Right!"

Rounding the next corner was the would-be ambush of two-dozen guards, and they stormed it like the wind. Blake channeled her momentum to run upon the left wall, linking arms with a shadow clone to throw herself into the mosh pit.

" _CONTAC—!"_ a guard cried before Blake's foot connected with his sternum and sent him toppling into his allies. The other White Fang opened fire as she wove between and around them. Bulma began to lay down suppressive fire as Sun steepled his hands, a pair of golden figures charging like linebackers and absorbing the return fire as Bulma and Sienna swept in behind them.

By the time they reached the fight proper, Blake had already disabled six of them. A smash of Sienna's flail left a guard contorting as electric dust played havoc across him, then catching a female Fang's sword in the loop of her chain and whipping it around to disarm her, the blade embedding in a wall. Bulma circle-strafed Sun's opponents with auto fire as he walloped a trio in the shins, paunch and top of the head respectively. His luck ran out, however as another with a stun baton tagged him in the back. Sun fell over with an agonized shout.

" _Oh NO!"_ Bulma shrieked, adjusting her aim when her rifle clicked. White-faced, she sought the mag ejector as a pair of blade-wielding White Fang blocked her aim and creeped towards her as she backed towards the wall.

The stun guard stood over Sun. His baton telescoped into a skewering bayonet...

" _Sun!"_ Blake cried, kusarigama whirling with a the sound of a pistol shot and bowling over any hostiles inside ten feet of her. She hurled it overhead to hook the stunner guard around the shoulder as he raised his weapon, tugging hard to slam him neck-first into the floor with a nauseating _'thwack'_ of impact.

Bulma winced her eyes shut and held her rifle up like a shield, but it was then that Sienna Khan's flail wrapped around both guardsmen, its cutting edge striking the left-most of the pair and instantly entombing them in a cocoon of ice. They hobbled along, groaning with effort as they failed to coordinate, now frigidly conjoined twins. Utterly top-heavy, they inevitably tripped and rolled onto their backs, limbs flailing like an odd mutant turtle.

"I can tell you don't usually fight, so your enthusiasm is endearing," Sienna told her, finding a subtle lever on Bulma's rifle and depressing it. The empty magazine clattered heavily to the floor. "Just don't let it get you killed."

"Thanks…!" Bulma squeaked.

Blake helped Sun woozily to his feet as Sienna went about kicking the heads of several White Fang still conscious on the floor. "Treacherous _filth…"_ she spat, as her heel connected. "So if the rest of you haven't noticed…" She pointed to the hangar door, and its access panel, ripped cleanly off the wall, exposing only wires. "...they've hobbled us some."

"Ha!" Bulma barked, hands on her hips. _"That's_ no problem."

She smiled as her eyes found Blake, who nodded, approaching the panel herself. "Right, it's an emergency exit, so it was never designed to keep anyone _out."_

Bulma beamed with toothy pride as she urged Blake on.

"So complete the circuit, the door opens, we're home fre— _AURGGH!"_

From above a black gloved hand clutched a fistful of Blake's hair, her face twisting in pain as she was lifted off the floor, ears flattening as she was yanked through the grate up to her shoulders. She shoved desperately against the ceiling and reached for her weapon as her shrieks muffled in the crawlspace overhead.

"LET HER GO!" Sun shouted, preparing to grab for her dangling legs when Bulma slammed her hands on his shoulders.

" _No_ , do you want to _scalp_ her?!"

"Well what's _your_ plan?!"

" _GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"_ Blake demanded, trying her best to punch her katana through the steel at Adam. _"I SAID LET G—rrrrrrrrkkk…!"_

Blake's limbs flailed as she could be heard struggling to breathe.

" _Any bright ideas from you down there, I'll let you have the bottom half…"_ Adam told them. _"I've_ no use for it anymore."

They all stood and stared, afroth with nervous energy. Bulma's mind was buzzing as she tried to hack out a plan, even as Blake's limbs twitched as they lost their exuberance. Both halves of Gambol Shroud clattered upon the floor as she abandoned them to reach in vain for her throat."

" _Don't worry, my love… I'd_ much _prefer you saw_ them _slain first. For now… just sleep…"_

Then Bulma's eyes lit up, and she clasped something in her pocket. She turned to Sun. "Boost me!"

"What?!"

She pointed to a grate further down. "I have an idea, I'm the least threatening one here, so boost me up!"

Even Sienna stared at her as Bulma marched beneath the grate. "Of any here, he'll kill you _first,_ you realize?"

"Just trust me, Blake doesn't have _time!"_ Bulma insisted in a stage whisper.

Sun grit his teeth, but nodded, crouching to hug her around the knees before flinging her up as she yelled uncertainly. Her head popped through the grate and she reached for her flashlight, no longer concerned with discovery. She turned it down the hall.

Adam Taurus was already turned towards her unsubtle entrance as she crept to her feet, throttling Blake's throat with his one hand. Blake fought to turn her eyes to Bulma as they kept drifting skyward, her face puce.

" _B-Bulmm...ng...ruh...uhn…!"_ she choked out, even as Adam's grip tightened.

Even though she couldn't see his eyes, Bulma could _feel_ him leering. "I thought I _told_ you what would happen if you interrupted us."

" _Right!"_ Bulma scoffed, even as she started to sweat. "Because _you're_ not obsessed or anything! We _all_ know some _pathetic psycho_ like _you_ wouldn't settle for that!"

Adam didn't move an inch, seemingly, before he began to slowly draw Wilt.

Bulma noted his still-firm grip on Blake. "I thought she was supposed to see her friends suffer, you know, since you can't get over that she _dumped_ _you..."_

Adam held the blade in front of his eyes. _"Human…_ you think yourself clever…" He set the blade on the floor. "You think you're safe to berate me from over there… then _I'll_ let her go when I come punish _you."_

Bulma stood her ground, but trembled like a twig.

"There's a flaw to your plan," he said at last with a small grin, "you _think_ I can't reach you..."

He reached for his sheath, which shifted into a rifle before Bulma's eyes…

Bulma shrieked as the shot struck her square in the chest, and she was thrown onto her back.

" _Bulma!"_ Sun shouted from below, poking his head in before ducking back down as Adam fired suppressive shots.

" _NO!"_ Blake cried, new life overtaking her as she pulled herself up just enough to reach for Wilt and swing.

Adam turned and caught the blade bare-handed, but at the expense of his grasp on her throat. His aura flashed as he wrenched it from her, and she fell through to the floor at last.

Bulma analyzed the dulled pain in her chest, wondering if she was in shock as she saw Sun vault in and hover over her in fear.

"Hey, you're okay!" he said as she blinked.

She'd been afraid to move, but found she could sit up easily. Patting down as she looked, she found nothing of the ragged wound or seeping blood she expected.

"You're no Huntress," Adam noted, flipping his weapon as he regained its proper grip, "so your aura reserve is surprising. Just as well… I'd _much_ rather deal with you up close."

As he took a step, Sun stepped in front of her. She reached for it…

"Wait!" Bulma cried, Sun barely glancing to her in confusion. "I'm not done with plan 'A'," she proclaimed holding out a fist.

Adam smirked. "Fine… I'm going to enjoy this _far_ too much. You're out of your _depth."_

"Tch!" Bulma scoffed. "Like I'm not used to _that…_ but you're right, funny enough!" she said, revealing a capsule with a click as the plunger depressed. "Total fish out of water…"

Adam readied himself to parry the little device as Bulma hurled it. Not _at_ Adam or his feet, but well overhead and into the distant darkness.

Mouth parted, he traced its path, perplexed before turning to see Bulma dragging Sun down through the grate where Blake and Sienna were waiting. Bulma shrieked, _"Tie us to something solid!"_

Blake stared. "Wh—?"

" _NOW!"_

Blake looped her ribbon through an anchored pipe, as did Sienna with her flail reluctantly. _"What good will this—?!"_

They heard a war cry of reinforcement White Fang as they rounded the corner they'd come from. And there they were, trussed up on a silver platter.

Meanwhile, Adam stood, galled. _"If you think such a childish trick will spare you my blade, YOU'RE—!"_

There was a brief sound of the dynocap opening… before all Hell broke loose.

Adam barely turned as an astonishing roar and rush of air struck him, his blade sinking into the steel a split second before a _wall_ of saltwater smashed over him as it filled every crevice of the cavern. Wilt barely held along with his grip, before both were struck by the flailing and enraged Eel Grimm and carried off by the endless torrent.

Below, every single grate in Lower Shambhala had become a window to flood the halls with raging water, the openings quickly tearing wider with a shriek of steel and bowing inward from the sheer weight of millions of gallons forcing their way into the confined spaces.

The four strapped to the walls all screamed as the water tried to carry them off, watching in astonishment as the miniaturized sea bowled over and swept away the White Fang guards charging towards them.

" _WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE?!"_ Sienna demanded, looking as though she were expecting to wake at any moment from an unbelievable nightmare.

"I'm sorry! It was the only thing I could _think_ of!" Bulma shouted in defense.

"NO," Sienna shouted, the water reaching their waists, "I MEAN _WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU ACTUALLY DONE?!"_

"No time!" Blake told her. "We need to electrify those wires and get out!"

"I'm out of lightning charges," Sienna explained, indicating her flail.

At that moment, they screamed in surprise as the great eel's head burst through the grating nearby, too huge to pass and too bulwarked by the storm of water to reverse out. It writhed and wriggled about frustration, jaws working silently.

"The _Abaia?!"_ Blake noted.

" _That thing is still alive?!"_ Bulma added, utterly astonished.

Blake and Sienna began to wince, their ears bending uncomfortably.

"Argh… is anyone else feeling…?" Blake began, Sienna nodding before both stopped what they were doing entirely, hands shaking before they began to groan in pain and reached to cover their feral ears.

Sun's eyes shot open. "Whoa, what…?!" But then he and Bulma began to wince as well.

"I-it's the _pressure!"_ Bulma explained, as tears rolled down Blake's face, all the while hyperventilating. "The water is building… build…"

Blake and Sienna began to yowl in pain, teeth grit as even Sun and Bulma began to feel like their heads were going to explode.

Unbeknownst to them, however, their welded seal at the wet porch blasted off along with the pod mech. Like that, the flood gates almost literally collapsed. Overwhelming torrents of seawater gained momentum and widened the breach until the entire door, dock, and sea cliff in front of it calved and blew off into the bay with the force of a bomb, largely carrying the base's inhabitants with it in a rush of foam and mud.

The four steadily found the agonizing sensation ebb away, tossed limply around by the currents even as the sea began to ultimately claim Lower Shambhala.

"I… don't think my ears have ever popped like that," Bulma commented as Blake continued to wince.

"Try it with _four…"_

Sun recovered soonest and grabbed Sienna around the waist. "Here, go for it— OW!" he cried as the High Leader twisted to punch him in the face.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she demanded.

"Oghhh…" Sun groaned, holding his nose. "I _mean_ I'll hold on while your hook thing _lands_ that monster! We need electricity, right?"

The rest of them went stone silent as the Abaia still thrashed.

"Huh…" Bulma intoned. "That's actually not bad…"

With that, Sun returned to his grip on Sienna as she unfastened her flail. One precise throw and _her_ end embedded in the nearby panel. With the next, the blade tip flew across the water to barb itself into the beast's snout, which thrashed in fury even as the current ran across the chains to the wall at last.

The door slid into the wall, the current around them sucking into the hangar as the seawater found a fresh avenue to flood and fill even as the water raised chest deep.

Sun's staff wedged inside a chain loop and tugged Sienna's weapon free as they waded inside, just as the water level rose to totally submerge the corridor.

The hangar was a great squared pillar reaching up to a set of hinged doors dozens of feet up, and looked fit to survive a carpet bombing. Luckily for them —or perhaps per design— the bullheads were on pads elevated well above ground level.

"It takes simultaneous hits of the emergency release to open the doors," Sienna told them, reaching the glass covered red button on one end of the hangar. "An identical release is over there."

Blake complied, reaching hers in seconds as Sun and Bulma picked out one of the twin turbine VTOLs.

"Does anyone actually know how to _fly_ one of these?" Sun asked.

Bulma wedged past him through the access doors and leapt into the pilot seat. "If there's a lick of sense to it, I can fly it," she answered, grabbing the control stick and rifling over the dashboard. "Huh… I don't get this method of antigrav… too simple, but whatever," she concluded with a shrug as she brought the beast to life, engines whining.

"Three… two… _one!"_ Sienna cried, as both feline faunus' smashed their respective releases with a tinkling of glass. Above them, sparks spiraled out from the crease between the enormous doors, and the grind of gears met them as they shuddered and sank a foot before retracting into the walls, red dust sprinkling as brilliant daylight filled every corner.

The last of them leapt in, and with a simple cry of "Let's go!" from Blake, they ascended to the skies, Sienna watching in stoic silence.

Below, Lower Shambhala's discrete surface ventilation shafts had become geysers amidst the craggy, newly made sinkholes shattering the land all the way to the cliffs. What wasn't crushed in the collapse had assuredly been flooded. "We were prepared for attack," Sienna told them, unable to look away, "but I _never_ thought it would come from within… from our own. Have I truly been so _blind_ to all that's happened around me?"

"Think of it like an opportunity," Blake said, hand on her shoulder. "Lower Shambhala isn't the White Fang."

Sienna sighed. "Not to diminish what you've done today… but nor am _I…"_

* * *

The ruddy blade embedded within the cliff top as Adam Taurus hauled himself up and out of the sea. Below, his soldiers were struggling to join him. He turned at the noise of the the lone bullhead, soaring over the sands back towards Kuo Kuana.

He heard heavy footfalls behind him and heard Hazel's voice ask, "So, _High Leader,_ what will you do now?"

Adam didn't answer.

* * *

"What will you _do_ , _"_ Village Chief Ghira Belladonna asked, addressing the crowd gathered below, "when the like of Adam Taurus, and these instigating elements speak _for_ the rest of us in the eyes of the human Kingdoms, as the loud and brash are wont to do?"

Potent in message as well as build, he stood beside his wife Khali, whose kind eyes scanned the crowd. Littered throughout representatives of the press and citizenry were several robed White Fang members, the Albain brothers nearest the front.

"Chief Belladonna," began a reporter with feathered owl-brows extending out like horns, "Tawny Strigidae, The Kuana Chronicle. Local authorities and the Menagerie Council have taken no action regarding your claims, citing the scroll in evidence as insufficient cause to expedite warnings to the Mistral authorities, particularly in light of the expense of long distance communication, and otherwise deny jurisdiction over the internal affairs of the White Fang as an organization. In which case, could it be said that you are advocating _vigilante justice?"_

Ghira shook his head. "I've no desire whatsoever to circumvent jurisprudence. My message has _consistently_ been one of _nonviolent_ advocacy for the faunus and peace with our brothers in humanity."

There was a building hum overhead as Tawny prepared a response, but all kept silent until a wash of wind and noise overtook the courtyard, and the bullhead hovered overhead.

There were gasps and a buzz of confusion as the doors opened and Blake leapt down with Sienna Khan beside the Belladonna patriarch.

"Blake!" Khali cried, rushing to her daughter as the bullhead tried to set itself down behind the house.

"Let's get this done," Blake told her parents, "everything else can wait."

Ghira swept his hand in welcome. "You have the floor."

Blake took out her scroll and stepped up to the microphone. A few swipes, and a square hologram projected towards the crowd.

— " _You put us on the right course, Sienna, but your way can only take us so far. They have realized that, and sided with me. We need a High Leader with the stomach to take us where you couldn't."_

" _You expect I'll step down? I think you've quite forgotten what I'm capable of…"_

" _Let's see… Kill her." —_

With that, the crowd was at once hushed and frenzied. The White Fang in the crowd had either frozen entirely or dropped their jaws, spinning to face their fellows in distress.

Sienna stepped up to the podium, Sharing a glance with Blake. "Adam Taurus has gone _rogue,_ and tried to have me killed and assume my place as High Leader, claiming myself as assassinated by a human! If not for the Belladonnas, specifically their daughter, his plan would have worked.

"He desires nothing less than _war_ with the human race, to cripple the Kingdoms and leave us all easy prey to the Grimm! He forgets that after _any_ conflict, we must still _coexist!"_

"This has gone far enough!" Corsac Albain shouted, he and his brother brandishing sai as the stoic White Fang in the crowd likewise drew weapons. "Leader Adam is the salvation of _all_ faunus!"

"This treason shall not leave here!" Fennec added. "If you aren't _with_ us, you are _against_ us! _KILL THEM!"_

Sienna was pulled out of the way by Blake as a surge of wind and fire blasted from their sai, and chaos overtook the crowd. Several White Fang donned masks and fired upon the Belladonna household and reporters as they sought cover, but the rest still loyal to Sienna Khan split the fight immediately into a melee amongst themselves. Civilians screamed as they fled, even as a combination of police and Belladonna security tried in vain to restore order, though it became clear relatively quickly that the Fang aggressors were outgunned.

Fennec gave a war cry as he leapt for Sienna, and Blake readied her blade only to see her father cross in front to seize his arm with one hand and deliver a bone-cracking smash to his head with the other. Corsac came in on his flank, but the Chief stepped around to grab him by his thigh and shoulders, redirect his own momentum and power-slam him into the steps.

Blake, Khali and even Sienna looked to Ghira in awe as they beheld the unconscious brothers.

"What?" he laughed. "I advocate non violence… but I am not a coward. Blake, you've done _beautifully._ Khali, take Sienna inside a—"

Ghira turned to glance at Sienna Khan, nearest to the door, to find her halfway through it… and not alone.

" _ILIA!"_ Blake cried, seeing the scene in full, the masked girl shielding herself with Sienna, the point of the whip at her throat.

Without a word she slipped inside, the rest following quickly, dulling the noise of combat. Ilia hadn't gotten far.

"Ilia, put it away and let her _go!"_ Blake demanded, pistol out.

Ilia stood cold. "You _first!_ You're not going to _ruin_ this!"

"My dear," Ghira began, conciliatory, _"this_ cannot be silenced. Your brothers and sisters in the White Fang won't abide a hostile takeover, as attested by those outside."

"They'll be _made to!"_ Ilia growled. "Fear got us _this far,_ and it can take us the rest of the way!"

"Only _one_ person in this room is afraid, Ilia," Blake told her.

Ilia froze, her eyes going blank before she took a glance at her situation and all the players within it. She shook her head, the fiery attitude returning. "I don't _care_ what you think!" Ilia shot back. "All that matters is that _she_ dies!"

Sienna Khan was utterly still. "Then why am I still alive?"

"What?!"

"You had us all at a disadvantage," Sienna explained, "had us by surprise. You didn't need a _hostage,_ you could have killed me before even _I_ knew what was happening. So what are we doing here?"

Ilia didn't answer, only increasing the threat in her voice. _"Get BACK, I mean it!"_

"I said it before, Ilia," Blake began, dropping her weapon. "You're _not_ a killer."

"...I'm… whatever my people _need_ me to be…!"

"Regardless of what happens," Sienna said, " _I_ am of no consequence anymore. My tenure as High Leader is over. It's clear to me that my methods incubated something I _never_ wanted. Nor something your _parents_ ever wanted, Amitola."

Ilia tore her mask over her head, skin and eyes turning fire red as her freckles shifted gold. _"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, you didn't know my parents!"_

This time Khali stepped forward. "No… but no parent wants _this_ for their child."

Ilia's temper exploded. _"Humans_ worked my parents like _pack mules_ in a cheap dust mine without safety equipment, and they were _KILLED_ in the collapse! The investigators who came after were _bribed! ALL SILENCED! PAID OFF! NONE OF THEM SAW JUSTICE, NOBODY PAID FOR THE LIVES THEY TORE TO PIECES!"_ Ilia's freckles trickled with blue as tears rolled heavily down her cheeks. "Nobody _cared…!_ Nobody looked further… We were just _animals!_ The _Kingdoms_ did NOTHING, the White Fang under _HER_ , _didn't do enough!_ Only ADAM promised us _justice…!"_

"Adam wants a _war,"_ Blake told her. "And _everyone_ is a target! Look at what's happening outside! _Look at what YOU'RE doing! Is SHE human?"_

Sienna hummed. "Taurus wants to fight the _world_ with a minority of a minority. He's already dividing his _own_ people. His strike on Beacon divided the _world,_ putting pressure on human and faunus alike. He's fighting the wrong people and burning every bridge he crosses."

"W-what…" Ilia stammered, the blue in her freckles spreading. "What _else_ am I supposed to do?! Who am I supposed to _fight_ for?! _NOBODY ELSE_ will do anything!"

Blake shook her head. "That's not true… When _I_ saw what Adam and the White Fang were becoming, I was lost too… but then I saw my _own_ way forward. I might have started alone, but if you're presented with only two sides, and BOTH have it wrong, you have to start _somewhere_ , on another path."

Ilia said nothing, lost in the sounds of combat outside.

Blake continued. "Ilia… I can't promise you _revenge_. I don't _believe_ in revenge anymore. I know how hard it is, that it feels like you're conceding more and more, but… getting back at the ones who hurt you is a cycle that _never_ ends. Not until _someone_ is strong enough to let go of their hate… Not until _someone_ is willing to forgive."

Ilia shook her head violently. "People like the Schnees won't be moved… they'll just keep doing what they've _always_ done!"

"People like the Schnees _aren't humanity!"_ Blake told her. "Just like the White Fang aren't the faunus! You _know_ that, _right...?"_

"I…"

"We _both_ have to find a way to live together," Blake continued, chin high. "Forgiveness won't change the worst of them, no. But it has the power to rally _others_ to our side! _NOT_ surrender, _NOT_ capitulation… just _cooperation."_

"It… it sounds _naive…"_ Ilia told her, the aggression gone from her voice. "It sounds too good to be true, Blake…"

"Hmm," Blake scoffed. "Well someday maybe you can talk to one of my best friends from Beacon, _Weiss_ Schnee. I think you'll be surprised."

Ilia's lip thinned, eyes softening, her mind evidently working overtime.

She dropped the whip to her side, her body turning a uniform blue as she stepped back and receded into herself, hands on her elbows as she slouched. Sienna turned around and backed off.

"Ilia, I've not forgotten you served your people well at my side," Sienna said, "and for what it's worth, I think your parents would think so as well."

"I-I'm… _sorry…"_ Ilia choked, slinking to the floor.

Blake approached, offering her hand. "Ilia, if you want to help your people… if you want to honor your family… you can't do better than _now."_

Ilia took it.

* * *

"Uh, _guys?!"_ Sun shouted as they left the back door. "We have a problem!"

As they made it outside, the rogue White Fang in steep retreat, the sound of screeching engines had filled the air. Five other bullheads had arrived and dropped rope ladders down, the fleeing Fang taking them and climbing up.

"They must have gotten to the hangar…" Blake said quietly, before Adam's voice blared overhead.

" _This is a call to action for all still loyal to the White Fang! Rally now, and take the next step on the path! This day, Haven will fall!"_

Blake shook her head in disbelief. "No…! No, they've moved it up! We have to stop th—"

A great sound of flaming plasma filled the air as one of the bullhead gunners fired an anti vehicle weapon, striking one of the engines on Bulma's bullhead, since landed in the yard. Smoke billowed as the bluenette herself left the cockpit with a shriek.

Adam watched Kuo Kuana pass beneath them as his reinforcements gathered. He'd be back for Blake later. She couldn't go far.

Hazel sat in the corner, head bowed. "This was _not_ our arrangement."

Adam didn't move. "They left me no choice. We have to strike while the iron is hot."

"You mean _before_ others can contest your claim to leadership."

Adam said nothing.

Hazel sighed. "If you do this, you do it _without_ our help. And if you injure our own efforts, you may well have made a _terrible_ enemy."

* * *

Qrow strode into the sparring room to find Oscar practicing his form on a training mannequin. "Hey, whoever's fronting, I gotta speak to Oz."

Oscar sighed… and then flashed green. "I wish you wouldn't equate our circumstance to an illness… So how did it go?"

Qrow sighed. "Not good. _Really_ not good. I couldn't find _any_ independent Huntsmen. None of my regulars, none on the board registry."

"And I don't suppose it's possible they moved house, or the region is choked with the need for Grimm extermination?" Ozpin offered, clearly knowing the answer.

"If it were errants or nomads I might call it coincidence," Qrow answered, "but these are _lifers_. Never seen them outside of this part of Anima… I can only suspect the worst."

Oscar's head nodded solemnly. "So… we have nothing then?"

Qrow smirked. "Hey, I didn't _say_ that, though we're kinda scraping the barrel. But there's something else: Leo called. Wants to meet with the whole team at Haven as soon as we can manage it. Some find about our Beacon saboteurs he couldn't sum up over the phone."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Truly? After a year? That's rather curious timing…"

"Yeah," Qrow nodded with a humorless smirk. "Real _serendipitous_. So gather the kids?"

Ozpin nodded. "I'll be up in a moment."

As Qrow walked off, Ozpin whirled his cane. A stretch of his youthful limbs, and his weapon pecked at his faceless foe, one final slash removing its head.

 _ **A/N: Phew!**_

 _ **Holy crap, it's been a good while, and I DEEPLY apologize, as it wasn't meant to take this long.**_

 _ **A TON of things have happened in the process of writing these chapters, none the least being that Chapter 10 was just a MONSTER to write (remember, I always keep a chapter shelved, so when I finish one, you get the one that precedes it).**_

 _ **But honestly, that wasn't the end of it. Strap in, because this is a LONG A/N.**_

 _ **Not helping is that my editors have been facing BOATLOADS of unexpected life issues, some of it truly harrowing and personal stuff, which basically prevented more than a few people from going over everything. One of them was even gone for several months due to issues with Internet access, and now that he's back he STILL hasn't been able to get enough break to justify catching up on that last three chapters.**_

 _ **It looked like he was going to do just that, in time for a Christmas release turned New Years release, and… well… life happens, and here we are. I just couldn't justify waiting any longer.**_

 _ **Another reason is that a story called "Dragonball R" got written as an homage to this very story —how cool is that?— ! And while I cannot personally recommend it AS a story —though I HAVE to respect how fast this author can write, I mean JESUS— its early review section was actually quite enlightening for me.**_

 _ **You see, there were QUITE a few people who reviewed DBR's first few chapters by contrasting it with THIS story… and taking quite a few shots at my expense. Most of it was in regard to power levels, and as such I basically just wrote them off. But Sivam and DMoose (of This War of Mine and Power Within respectively) took this as a moment to challenge me outright on this.**_

 _ **You see, I believe any good crossover necessarily needs to treat both its featured series with equal respect. I hate bad faith crossovers that just elevate one series over the other, or try to force one to basically ENGULF the other. This is why, when our RWBY cast start learning how to fight on the level of Dragonball, they're not going to ditch the weapons, and they're not going to fight identically to the Z Fighters. They're going to reach that level of power, but retain their own styles, just grander. EXPANDING their abilities, not replacing them.**_

 _ **But I'm aware many people just like to see one series solo an entire Universe, and typically THIS is the kind of reader I've chosen to ignore. By no means do I want to pretend ANY of the RWBY cast could TOUCH any of the Z Fighters as they are as of this Chapter of Transposition F. Their first encounter with TRUE power will be an utterly humbling one, prompting them to step up and face these challenges.**_

 _ **Buuuuut, as I've been informed, I might have started Remnant off with too much of a head start.**_

 _ **See, I wasn't considering that some people simply believed the implied power levels I'd given RWBY were wholly unbelievable, or potentially insulting. I thought I'd covered my bases in this regard by none of them being able to USE this power until they've learned how, but to some this was merely a dodge.**_

 _ **It's my fault really. Basically, I forgot an aspect of the Z characters' reactions to the RWBY folks ought to be confusion or curiosity. I wrote Vegeta, Krillin and Gohan as far too ACCEPTING of these people with power levels they couldn't use. Instead of a point of intrigue, their lack of evident confusion made it seem like I was forcing the fact of their power levels. Like this was something they'd seen a million times, when people who didn't reflect the power they could SENSE would be something utterly new in Dragonball, like power level puffer fish.**_

 _ **And yeah, implying the RWBY cast was around an average 4,000 power level was probably stretching it. Dahlia was the only one stated by Frieza's scouter at 17,000, but as a glass cannon, and a Headmistress to one of the four Academies, I WAS trying to imply she was basically the strongest non-magical Huntress there was. Even so, putting him equal with Saiyan Saga Vegeta was probably overstepping.**_

 _ **So what did I do about this?**_

 _ **Some minor rewrites! Specifically to Chapters 2, 3, 7 and 8. The gist of it is like I said: our Z characters make a bigger deal out of sensing power the Huntsmen don't evidently have, and question it more. Meanwhile, suggestions of powers have placed the characters a great magnitude lower. Dahlia is INSTEAD stated by Frieza to be around 700, with RWBY proper implied around 200 or so.**_

 _ **Are we good on that front? Haha, we better be, because that's as low as I'm going! Any lower and some things just become unbelievable, like Vegeta's interest with Weiss. As much as Vegeta finds a general interest in her, he DOES expect her to have potential as a proper fighter too.**_

 _ **This lower bar is probably a lot easier to swallow, and only presents a power gap that the RWBY cast need to take slightly more time to bridge.**_

 _ **...Okay, so what else…**_

 _ **...OH RIGHT!**_

 _ **Holy crap, how bad do I feel knowing it's ACTUALLY been the entirety of Volume 6 since the last chapter?**_

 _ **It's come and gone… and I won't deny, Volume 6 managed to scoop a number of ideas I had for this story before it ended… but wow, it's really hard to believe, isn't it?**_

 _ **RWBY Volume 5 was the lowest point in the series in my opinion. In our group, I alone was soldiering on, hoping against hope that things might get better, even though I really didn't think they would. It was so bad that Sivam and the others basically all but ousted RWBY from general discussion. Volume 5's finale was so botched, with so many problems of character, combat animation and so little focus that Ruby Rose never shared a single word with Cinder. Adam became laughably petty and lost all his cold menace and turning into this mustache twirler, only to get axe-handled by Blake, which looked so stupid and easy I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Hazel's backstory all but ruined HIS character by making him seem incredibly dumb, even after being shown to have complexities with his valuing human life. Lionheart was just a coward with no redeeming qualities or redemption.**_

 _ **Oh, and there was the very real possibility that Cinder, the most personal villain in RWBY's rogue's gallery, had been killed by Raven, with none of the pathos or satisfaction that should come of Pyrrha's murder being avenged.**_

 _ **Volume 5 was the culmination of everything that Volume 3's ending had set up, and we all felt so ROBBED when it was over.**_

 _ **So I can't TELL you how refreshing Volume 6 was as we watched it unfold. Our group of writers was BLOWN AWAY by what we all saw, leading to theorizing and enthusiasm, in a time when most of us had given up hope that the series would ever achieve greatness again.**_

 _ **The animation was fixed. Fights are fun again, and use the environment, and don't shy away from spectacle. Ruby is a main character again (almost too much so, but hey) Cinder survived and teamed up with friggin' Neo! WORLDBUILDING, Grimm that actually pose a threat and have special abilities, towns and villages that feel ALIVE. After an entire Volume in Mistral, we finally see its criminal underbelly, and get introduced to a NEW wonderfully designed city with Argus.**_

 _ **We learn about Silver Eyes, Oscar has a PURPOSE now distinct from Ozpin, the history of the world is SHOWN to us, and we see how Salem came to be and why she's such a threat, what's at stake.**_

 _ **Sure, the finale was a little weaker than the first half, but not by THAT much, and I can forgive some silliness after the CRWBY clearly took the time to listen to fan criticism and address so many of its most frustrating issues.**_

 _ **No, Transposition F isn't using the canon here. Salem isn't human, and the history behind the Brothers and Silver Eyes are all VERY different, among other things. It's good stuff, but THIS story isn't likely to incorporate very much. For example, Maria Calavera will almost certainly never make an appearance unless I can grant her some alternative role, and even then I doubt it'll be more than a cameo.**_

 _ **But hey… apparently Miles and Kerry ALSO recognized that they needed to give Pyrrha some closure, because they had a scene that felt like a REALLY slimmed down (but no less effective, to their credit) version of MY events in Chapter 5. I loved that Pyrrha's mom was still voiced by Jen Brown. My version had her as a supportive, slightly vain parent taking the loss hard, and she was basically meant to LOOK like Jen Brown herself, but with red hair. As such, I've referred to the canon version as "Otrera" as my own little in-joke.**_

 _ **So ideally the next chapter won't take ANYWHERE near this long and we can start getting into the meat of this story. I'm sure you can tell from how this one ended… we're gearing up for a showdown...**_


	10. Standoff At Haven

Taiyang Xiao Long wasn't certain why he had had woken up in the three-O'clock hour, but it wasn't unusual enough to warrant investigation either. He could hear the wind whistling beyond his window. The coming of fall was early, but also not unusual. Zwei lay as a warm lump beside his feet, not reacting as he quietly slipped into his slippers and downstairs. He might as well make coffee before Bart helped himself. He never understood how the man's body hadn't grown numb to caffeine by now.

As it transpired however, the coffee wasn't what he should have been concerned over.

The dining room table was neatly decorated with stacks of dirty plates and bowls, enough to suggest some raucous family reunion or block party had gone down unless someone had been particularly wasteful with his kitchenware.

He checked the refrigerator… Picked clean. Everything that wasn't raw or some manner of condiment or otherwise required cooking was simply _gone._

Barty didn't fit the profile on this, he decided, imagining a Viking Funeral for his pocket Lien. But again, Goku was _bedridden._ Last he'd checked, the man could _just_ hobble to the restroom with another's support… which in _itself_ was impressive.

But then he glimpsed out under the awning, hearing the flap of the plastic sheet covering the broken window from earlier as the wind beat against it. He saw the shape of that unmistakable hair against the moon, dark clouds lining the horizon as Goku stared into it. For a moment Taiyang wondered if he'd been used, but dismissed the notion as he saw his one leg favored, leaning into a post for support.

The door slid open as he joined him. Son Goku didn't react at all. "That fresh air chaser go down smooth after _my entire pantry?"_ Taiyang asked, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.

Goku gave no indication that he'd heard him, staring out with an intensity he'd never seen of the man.

" _Hello?!"_ Taiyang insisted, stepping around to face him side on.

Goku blinked. "Something _big_ is about to go down. A long ways off, other side of the world even…"

Tai stared, whipping to glance at the moon and back. "They don't have windstorms where you come from?"

Goku shook his head. "The _real_ storm is building somewhere else… there's aggressive energy everywhere. My son is in the heart of it." He lifted a hand up, staring at it. The faintest crackle of electricity fizzled and then vanished along his palm. "I'm in no state to help him…"

Taiyang had nothing to say. Goku had never demonstrated this side of himself. Sharp as a razor, his being seemed awash with an ice cold fire. His words sounded like mad ravings, but the father of two couldn't help feeling a chill run down his spine.

* * *

The massive elevator ground to a stop as it reached the top of Haven Academy, the wind there oddly pleasant against the half-clouded sky, even as it tore 'neath the chasm of the grand structure. The afternoon sun was bright as they stepped off and crossed the great quad, the school as quiet as before. Moreso even.

Five strong, they found Leonardo Lionheart at the steps before Haven Hall, looking pleased, but nervous.

Qrow's pace increased as he reached earshot of the man before coming to a stop. "Alright, I can't _wait_ to hear this."

Lionheart nodded. "Of course, I can fill you in once we're inside, I—" He stopped dead, glancing to the party behind Qrow. "There were… _other_ students who came with you?" he asked, glancing at Oscar, then softly settling on Gohan. "And the child is here as well? Wait… where is Miss Rose? Surely you didn't leave her _alone?"_

Indeed, neither of the girls Qrow came with were here now.

"Eh, the girls are resting back at the house," Qrow explained with a shrug. "They girl-talked all night. We're just briefing anyway, right?"

"Well yes, naturally…"

Atop the leftmost building of the quad, Emerald Sustrai listened in as Lionheart spluttered on. She didn't envy him his position… but she knew she could have done it better. She took out her scroll. "You catch that? Red's _confirmed_ away from the pack. Her only backup is the ditz with the hammer."

Mercury scoffed on the line. Emerald could _just_ make out his form atop the Hall roof. "She won't be missed."

" _Disable Qrow at the first opportunity,"_ Cinder ordered. _"Kill the rest. They shouldn't give you much trouble without him."_

"What about the boy?" Emerald asked, the ghost of concern in her voice. "He's like a toddler."

" _Pity doesn't become you, Emerald,"_ Cinder droned, stern behind the mechanical half-monotone. _"You can make it quick if it eases your conscience."_

Emerald was silent a moment. "Yes ma'am. And you?"

* * *

Cinder herself edged along Masayoshi, the cluttered and labyrinthine alleyways simple to hide in. _"Off to give the lovely ladies a rude awakening,"_ she answered, slipping her scroll away as she approached the door.

Someone in the living room of 232 might have noticed the deadbolt lock begin to glow red, the surrounding wood hissing as black creeped over the grain. There was only a light clatter as the door forced open, the bolt snapping with fiery sparks as Cinder stepped inside, eyes golden and glowing as her smile stretched to match.

* * *

"Now, if you would, might we take this inside?" Lionheart asked, doing all he could not to glance to the rooftops.

"What? Why?" Qrow asked. "I'm trying not to make a huge deal out of this. The place is a ghost town, Leo, this _is_ just about our rogue Maiden, right?"

"Yes, but… I left the data in my office."

"You're joking…"

Emerald watched the two slowly bicker. It was such a stupid delay, and the longer Qrow stalled the more this blowhard academic was likely to give them away. She had already stopped directly observing and resorted to slipping her scroll camera over and watching the screen.

Most of the kids were just watching the argument… but the toddler with the black hair… he was looking _directly_ into the camera lens. Then for a heartstopping moment she saw his eyes shift pointedly to the Hall roof, not deviating at all, as though he could _see_ through the wall to the spot where Mercury was lying in wait.

* * *

Cinder practically floated through the halls towards the sound of the girls' guttural snoring. She passed one room, glimpsing the rose-pattern rear end of her target pointed at the door, just peeking out from the rest of the bundled up lump.

Good as handled, but it would have to wait a moment. The louder snore came from the adjacent room. The ginger drifter would only take seconds, she thought, magic tinkling in her palm as she summoned a sturdy, blazing pike.

* * *

"Merc, I think we've been made," Emerald said, alert.

"What?"

"That kid's here for a reason, he just looked _right_ at both of us; I'm reaching for contingency one."

Mercury growled quietly. "We're _supposed_ to lock them in and make it quiet."

Emerald took another glance at the Huntsmen. The old man was prattling on as Qrow kept probing, looking more apparently nervous. The facade was about to break anyway.

Below, Gohan and Jaune glanced down as something very _wrong_ happened. Out of nowhere, faster than _Gohan_ could see, a man in grey and black had appeared behind Qrow, knifehand prepared to strike his neck.

They didn't hesitate, not even to ask how none of the others had noticed him yet. Gohan charged forward, leg extended to a flying kick, his takeoff enough to blow Jaune under a nearby bench.

" _GUARGH!"_ Qrow belched in surprise as Gohan's foot connected, slamming him with a crack into the huge Hall door, _through_ the mystery man who had vanished as soon as Gohan reached him.

The others cried out in surprise as Qrow slumped painfully to the floor, his aura flickering but still stable.

"Why did you _do_ that?!" Oscar cried, backing off the wunderkind.

"Explain yourself!" Ren demanded, pulling Stormflower from his sleeves.

"I-it was a man behind him!" Gohan shouted desperately, utterly confused as he descended upon Qrow. "I'm so sorry! You didn't see?! He was about to atta—"

Mercury took the moment and leapt over the side, leg guns primed as he fell and aimed to put Qrow's lights out. With him down, they would pick the kids off at their leisu—

'*KUCHINK*'

Mercury felt himself slugged in the chest and found himself flying backwards into the wall, tumbling against it before his foot caught a lamp sconce, which broke off as he slid the rest of the way down.

He looked up. Each of the kids in front of him looked surprised to see him, and the sound of the shot echoed across the mountains. He searched the rooftops…

"No…"

* * *

Cinder's pike thrust down through the girl's back, the cloth sizzling as she punched through to the mattress.

The snoring continued.

Even as the pike sizzled out of existence, Cinder's eyes shot open. The body didn't buck in surprise. Her aura didn't burst into shards. The gaping hole she'd just made was filled with cottony white.

" _N-No…!"_ the artificial voice stammered. She tore the covers off. Instead of a body sat a mound of pillows and wadded towels, carefully shaped. She picked up a small speaker set where the head should be, the awful snoring emanating from it. _"NO…!"_

The speaker shattered against the wall with inhuman force as she strode to the other bedroom, teeth bared as she failed to control her breathing. A gout of fire streamed from her palm as she abandoned subtlety, the sheets, pillows and pajamas curling and writhing as they burned away. The wallpaper curled back and the adjacent window was deformed as the glass glowed and slithered into folds with gravity. The quiet snoring began to distort and fizzle out. Yet all the while, the hottest fire was that in the Rogue Maiden's eyes.

 _A ruse… ALL a RUSE!_

Her own voice box chirped incoherently as her breathing intensified into heaving gasps, fingers gripping her temples.

At last, the seething rage boiled over, her voice box screeching. The existing fires fountained up to flood the ceiling a split second before the room and hallways were filled in a flash. Outside, the windows strobed before all smashing out, the front door flying off its hinges as the flames engulfed everything.

* * *

On two buildings across the quad on the approach from the great elevator, Ruby and Nora emerged from their sniper/mortar positions and honed in on Mercury Black.

" _GET SOOOOOOOOOME!"_ was Nora Valkyrie's war cry as she plugged the sky with arcing heart-tipped grenades, Ruby laying down fire as fast as she could dispense a bolt action… which was to say, _very_ fast.

Gohan helped Qrow out of the way as Mercury leapt out into the quad, immediately put on the defensive as Ren closed in on his flank and Jaune extracted himself from the bench to join in. A series of quick kicks detonated some of Nora's grenades in midair, but he still couldn't afford to stand his ground.

Gohan kept looking to Qrow in fear, even as he split his attention to Mercury. "I'm sorry, I'm really really sor—"

"Kid, you pack a _whallop,_ I'll grant you…" Qrow said, easing himself to his feet, "don't count me out yet though… I just need a sec to get some Aura back… cover me unless they can't handle this thing, alright?"

Gohan looked to the fight. "I could end this _really_ quickly…"

"Yeah," Qrow said, nodding, "but… _he_ said not to escalate this until we had to. Better _we_ keep them guessing till we _need_ to play that ace. Got me?"

Gohan nodded, sticking to his side like glue as they passed Lionheart, who watched everything with evident unease.

Qrow stopped his ungainly gait all at once, turning to the old headmaster. "Leo… I _knew_ my gut was right… but I _really_ wanted to believe it wasn't. You're a bit old for me to pull the disappointed parent routine…"

The man ever so slightly recoiled. "There are a great _many_ things I wish weren't so."

Qrow sighed with contempt as the two made off past him.

Mercury finally found himself cornered as the sniping girls herded him. Ren and Jaune creeped in on him, Ren and Ruby raining shots that he was forced to weave and guard against, but his Aura was chipping away in the process.

He found a moment's reprieve and used it to deliver a roundhouse, firing three silver shots over his immediate foes with a shout and forcing Ruby and Nora to duck over the roof's edge as they collided, smashing tiles which tinkled to the quad below.

A bonus to this was his pursuers had tracked his shot, even if just a glance. He'd punish that moment of weakness. He closed the distance in moments and circled around to Jaune's back. A solid hit to the dork's neck would put him out…

But as he delivered the lethal kick, he found the flat of a gleaming white shield forcing it to glance high. Jaune pressed his advantage, putting both wrists against his shield and shoving Mercury entirely off balance and onto his back.

Mercury rolled backwards to his feet even as the shining blade _just_ missed as it stabbed down at him. He took a moment to look over the blonde bladesman. Hadn't this kid been entirely useless at Beacon? "Huh… alright, at least this won't be boring…"

* * *

Ruby readied another volley as Jaune and Ren managed Mercury, only to find something in her scope that made her blood run cold.

Flaming red hair and gold armor adorned a girl with sparkling green eyes, just standing amid the fight and staring up at her.

" _Pyrrha?!"_ she whispered, looking up from the scope. Where the Invincible Girl had stood before, there was nothing. Ruby looked around as distress seeped into her nerves.

Then she saw it. _Emerald_ beside Nora, who was oblivious to the girl's two khopesh readying a deadly slice.

Ruby Rose wheeled around and took the shot, only to find Emerald had vanished as Nora cried out. Struck in the side, her slight form tumbled end over end and off of the roof.

Before she could call after Nora, she heard Gohan shout her own name, just before she felt a boot slam into her back. She slid a few feet before flipping onto her back, a chuckle rising from behind. She turned to face the _real_ Emerald Sustrai. She stood over her, blades twirling in her hands. "You all keep falling for that one… I'm gonna need to change things up."

* * *

Oscar stared up as the second of their foes finally reared her head. "Ruby… what should we do?"

"She needs help," Gohan concluded, preparing even as Oscar flashed green.

"No," Ozpin said, putting Oscar's hand out.

"But—!"

"Miss Rose is far from helpless, and she won't crumble so easily. Have a little faith in her, Gohan. You'll _know_ if she needs help."

Ozpin turned instead to find Lionheart, watching the proceedings like a statue. He approached, measuring each step as he handled the retracted cane.

"Boy," Lionheart said, finally tearing his eyes away, "if you know what's good for you, you'll _flee_ this place. You've no _idea_ what's to come…!"

Oscar's eyebrows rose. "Well if I were to guess, I'd imagine our rogue Maiden won't be far behind her cronies. Am I correct, Leo?"

Lionheart's brows knit as he stared into hazel eyes. Eyes not shining with the novelty of youth, but which bore the fatigue of ages.

"It's been a longer time than I intended, old friend," Ozpin expanded. "And another life besides."

" _Ozpin…!"_ Leo hissed, stepping back. "Y-you've already returned!"

"Does my presence alarm you, Leo? Do you intend to fight me?"

Lionheart pressed his eyes shut. "No… I want _nothing_ to do with this."

Ozpin stepped closer still. "But you've _everything_ to do with it, haven't you? Your loyalties were to _her_ at least far enough back as entering those three into my school for the Festival Tournament."

"W-who told you about—?"

" _You_ just did," Ozpin said, no amusement in his tone. "You know _far_ better than most what's at stake, Leo… yet here you are, poised to give Salem a weapon against all mankind. Just _what_ did she promise you…? Or have you become such a coward that you'd put your own life before the very world?"

Lionheart's nostrils flared as he stepped forward. "You are _exactly_ wrong. While you and yours neglected Haven and Shade, Salem wound her fingers into the Mistral Council! I've done _everything_ I could to avoid being replaced as Headmaster, and leave Haven's Huntsmen in the hands of those who care nothing for their lives!"

"And yet we were incapable of finding almost _any_ of them," Ozpin retorted bitterly. "I appreciate your position, Leo… but be it by your action or _inaction,_ students were _killed_ at Beacon. Your own Pyrrha Nikos among them."

Lionheart's eyes squeezed shut. "Thus, always the young… Ozpin, she's had the power to bring Mistral to its knees for a great long while. The promise of the Relic of Knowledge is the _only_ safeguard."

"Then you've betrayed us all for borrowed time."

"...It is not _ours_ to say who lives and who dies," Leonardo said quietly. "I'll not put even a _Relic_ before the lives of our people, Ozpin. I'm so steeped in blood… but I'll not _drown_ in it. I'm sorry. I _must_ keep my end… but I was never expected to fight either."

Ozpin sighed. "Very well… stay out of our way then. But if I think you a threat… I won't hesitate."

Lionheart stood utterly still, eyes locked with Oscar's. Ultimately, he took a breath, closed his eyes and stepped into the Hall. The doors closed, though not before something pitch black slipped through. Qrow alone took notice, eyes narrowed.

* * *

Ruby and Emerald crossed blades, the older woman surprisingly effective as her khopesh deflected the huge scythe's cleaving blade.

Emerald found an opening and kicked Ruby square in the chest. She somersaulted back onto her feet, but no sooner had she recovered than both bladed ends of Emerald's weapons shot out on a length of chain and caught either side of Crescent Rose. Ruby held fast to its middle, pulling back as Emerald slowly retracted the chains.

"And Cinder _trained_ to face you again. Eyes or no eyes, kid, you're— _URK!"_ Emerald grunted as Ruby came close enough, ceased tugging and shoved the broad shaft into her nose.

Freed, Ruby capitalized on this and poked the scythe's pike end into her gut, whirling with the heavy blunt side and smashing Emerald off her feet to skid near the roof's edge.

Emerald growled as she saw Ruby resume her combat stance. "Alright, red, you asked for it…"

Before Ruby's very eyes, Emerald vanished from sight, and in the corner of her eye she saw Mercury preparing a high kick. Crescent Rose reported as she fired a shot… which passed through as Mercury faded away.

Only then did she feel chains wrap around her, pinning her limbs together as she felt Emerald grab her around the waist from behind, and an arm across her neck.

"Get comfortable, _combat boots,_ " Emerald said, before retracting the chains a bit and tightening her grip. "Not _too_ comfortable though… Cinder's got plans for you."

"It was _you…"_ Ruby whispered, her memory stirring.

Emerald's smile faltered. "...What?"

Ruby recalled the Vytal Tournament. She could see it even now. Yang attacking Mercury and being so confused… Velvet talking about Coco seeing Yatsuhashi when he'd already been eliminated. And then Pyrrha attacked by mistake. They'd never gotten the chance to ask what she'd seen.

"I wasn't sure how before," Ruby said, shaking with anger, "but it was _you…!_ _YOU_ tricked Pyrrha into seeing something that wasn't there…"

She couldn't help it, she started to shake, her teeth baring as her eyes stung. _"You killed Penny! YOU KILLED HER!"_

Emerald staggered forward as the girl she was restraining exploded into rose petals and the enormous scythe blade raked across her back. She whirled around as her Aura flickered. Ruby's eyes were aflame as she brought the blade down again in a vertical chop, but crossing her own blades high, Emerald managed to catch one of the serrations and stop it flat. They strained against each other.

"W-who—?"

Ruby froze at the question. Her arms weakened and her eyes widened for only a second before she slammed down with twice the force, leaving Emerald to groan as she fought back.

" _PENNY POLENDINA!"_ Ruby shrieked, as Crescent Rose's head snapped straight, lowering the barrel's angle to level with Emerald's wide-eyed face.

'*KUCHINK*'

Emerald was blasted back as the shot hit her full force, but Ruby whirled in a petalburst right on top of her as they dueled upon the rooftops.

"She was my _friend!"_ Ruby cried, spinning her scythe as Emerald's revolvers fired shot after shot. "She was a harmless, _beautiful_ soul that only ever wanted to _know_ people!"

Emerald retaliated, firing the blade out along its chain. But Ruby dove right, slipping off the roof. The bronzed woman was only confused a moment as the tip of Crescent Rose caught the roof's edge, and the silver-eyed girl springboarded skyward as the scythe head sprung inward to its blaster configuration.

At the crest of her leap, Ruby fired the high power shot down at Emerald, who was blasted off her feet as roof tiles clinked and clattered everywhere. A great deal of dust half shrouded Emerald as Ruby transformed her scythe again, firing a shot behind to put her into an interception course, even as she became a living buzzsaw.

Ruby hit with an explosion of petals, blasting the dust away as her scythe speared the rooftop _inches_ to the left of a pale, freckled face and bobbing orange hair.

"Oh!" Penny said with a smile. "Is _this_ who you mean?"

Two revolver blasts struck Ruby at once, knocking her back, Crescent Rose still embedded in the roof.

Emerald melded back into herself, frowning as she stepped between her and her weapon. "Really, kid? The wind-up girl? Of all we got up to at Beacon, you're upset we broke your toy?"

Ruby got to her feet, the burn in her eyes _so_ _close_ to betraying her to tears. _"Shut up…"_

"You _get_ she was just a robot, right? Cinder _could've_ used a _real_ person, y'know. That was a _mercy."_

" _No…!"_ Ruby growled. "It was _murder…_ Penny generated an Aura, she had a _soul,_ and you _killed_ _her_ … _"_

Emerald sighed, twirling a khopesh in her right hand as she set the other upon Crescent Rose. "Not like you'll get the chance anyway, but part of growing up is to stop playing with _dolls…_ " She pried the scythe out of the roof, examining it a moment. "Or gaudy toys like this…"

Emerald barely exerted effort as she tossed the scythe off the roof, turning her attention back to Ruby.

...And was oblivious as it was returned to Ruby just as casually, lobbed from below and into her hands.

"Wha—?"

A jet-like noise heralded Nora Valkyrie riding Magnhilde's rocket-powered head over the ledge, delivering a sidelong swing to Emerald's middle and punting her off the other side of the slender building's roof.

" _Ha!"_ Nora barked. "See how _you_ like it!"

Emerald recovered, firing both chain blades out to catch the edge of the roof, retracting to race back. She swung up to sprint against the wall as the Huntresses looked over the ledge to meet her. But as she swung overhead, Emerald vanished before their eyes.

They glanced into the air for her, seeing nothing until the sound of clattering tile and a mote of dust struck several feet off.

" _There!"_

The pair rained shots as they stood sentinel, backs to the proverbial wall, only stopping when they realized Emerald had vanished more completely still.

Ruby leaned in to Nora's ear. _"Check your shots… Her semblance can make you see things… she's gonna keep trying to make us hurt each other."_

"That's not _all_ I can do," Emerald's voice said from Ruby's left.

Both twisted around, Crescent Rose slashing to strike air. By chance, Ruby caught a glimpse of Nora behind her, to see her with blades crossed over her throat, and Emerald wrestling to work through the flashing pink aura. Ruby stood helpless as Nora tried to wedge the staff-end of her hammer between the cutting edges.

Then Nora had a bolt of inspiration, and reached for the switch to Magnhilde's upgrade.

She had only used it on a single occasion, but Nora had upgraded Magnhilde to house a dust-based battery. When activated, it delivered enough juice to kickstart her semblance without waiting for a convenient external source of electricity. For her it was a quick boost.

For anyone else, it was a taser.

" _Urgghh…!"_ Emerald groaned as her grip slackened just enough for Nora to jab her in the gut with the hammer's handle, and the curtain-haired woman stumbled backwards. Full of newfound strength, crackling with pink electricity, she twisted and swung to barely miss Emerald as she bent her gut out of the way. Cinder's servant leapt back as the next blow aimed to smash her overhead like the anvil of a carnival attraction. Tile splintered as a portion of the roof gave way, a sinkhole gaping in their battlefield as if a car had fallen from the sky.

Ruby raced to her side as they squared off again. "Are you alright?!"

Nora nodded. "Oh, you know… almost cut through my Aura, life flashed before my eyes… no big… Kinda want that to _not_ happen again, so… ideas?"

"Maybe…" Ruby said, contemplating, not taking her eyes off Emerald. "Before what she did to Penny, her eyes were _locked_ into the fight… so maybe she needs to _see_ you to put visions in your head?"

"It's worth a shot… so what does that do for us?"

Ruby chambered a round. "We get on both sides of her, keep her busy, but _only_ attack when her back's to you."

"Huddle's over, kiddies," Emerald declared, leaping the gap and blasting her chained blades at each of them, which in their eyes ballooned to the size of ship anchors. The pair leapt apart as the blades embedded into the tile with infinitesimal force compared to their appearance. Emerald retracted the chains to pull herself to them faster than gravity, wrenching the blades from the tile and twisting to rush Nora, whose eyes flashed with confusion as she glanced through her attacker as if she couldn't see her.

But Ruby's eyes were unclouded. She became a whirl of red as she caught up and belted Emerald in the temple with the broad of her scythe.

Emerald staggered, put off her attack completely as she twisted to face Ruby, Nora shaking off her own vision as the girl with the silver eyes backed off her own nightmare. _Dozens_ of Emerald Sustrais swarmed her as she whirled Crescent Rose defensively before her like a propeller.

Before the wave crashed against her, a blast of pink smoke struck one of the Emeralds in the back as the others became fuzzy blotches before her eyes. Nora stood strong, grenade launcher in hand behind Emerald as she tried to keep herself from falling flat on her own face.

She landed upon the length of the huge scythe's blade as its owner caught her bodily, zipping the razor edge across her Aura even as the force juggled her into the air like a video game. This setup left Nora with the perfect pitch for a baseball swing, cracking into Emerald and leaving a trench in the roof tiling as she swept across it, fit to fall off Haven entirely.

But even as she neared the edge, she was suddenly ensconced in a freakish growth of ice which arrested her movement completely.

"What…?" Nora asked, before Ruby noticed the floor beneath the girl sizzle and glow. A familiar noise accompanied it, like a distant and unearthly scream.

Ruby had no chance to warn Nora before she was blasted off into the quad below, a chunk of the building toppling with her. Ruby herself was thrown from her feet and made to gaze skyward… as Cinder Fall descended before her on handfuls of spewing flame.

She landed nearer to Emerald, casually waving a hand as the ice melted around her in an instant. The thing around Cinder's neck glowed with each word she didn't speak, distorting as her pitch wobbled at random. _"SEcUre QROw. NOW."_

Emerald took one last look at Ruby, —even as she staggered to her feet and changed magazines— with a fearful expression the girl hadn't seen before. Pity? "Yes ma'am."

Emerald leapt from the stage of battle as Cinder turned to face her at last. Cinder was _far_ different from that fateful night at Beacon. The odd thing speaking for her, the left side of her womanly face hidden by her hair to neatly obscure the black mask covering it. Her amber eyes were wide with fury, lips razor thin as her nostrils swelled with her intense breathing. But in a few moments, Ruby could _feel_ what was

coming next as Cinder's chest expanded to it's greatest degree yet.

Crescent Rose reported as Ruby fired the ice round she'd prepared within microseconds of the inevitable fire blast directed her way.

It had mostly worked, a cloud of frosty, orange-lit mist marking the centerpoint… but Cinder wasn't to be outdone. A flaming gout pierced the cloud as the blast's momentum carried through. She was thrown off her feet with a yelp by the sweltering force, falling into the sinkhole they'd created earlier and onto her back.

She barely started to recover as she heard the woman drop down beside her. _"Your deCoY... You THOuGht tHAt WaS EnoUgh to geT rid OF Me?!"_

"W-we didn't _know_ it was y—"

Cinder grabbed her by the neck with her sleeved left hand, hoisting her up even as she kept a grip on Crescent Rose. Its strength was freakish, the grip inhuman. _"WHO eLsE wOUlD Yearn TO see You suffEr?! AFTeR all yOU dID to me?!" she warbled. "I WaS aT thE PEak of MY sTrengtH… I WaS BeAUTIfUl… I'd WOn! I was eVeryTHing THEY said i'D nEVeR Be!"_

Ruby grunted as she was thrown back down. Cinder's other hand scorched with flame, and Ruby had only a split second to pull the trigger as the fist came down.

Ruby felt a number of things in the next few moments. The sting of ice as the dust round struck below her and she was encased. The smash as the ice and wooden structures around her gave way. The nausea of unexpected gravity as both fighters fell through into the dim, warm light.

She struck lacquered oak as she landed in a heap, the wind nearly knocked out of her. She scrambled to her feet as Cinder landed with considerably more grace. Scarcely able to glance, she could see they landed in the pit of a great tiered lecture hall.

"I… don't know _what_ I did…!" Ruby shot back, raising her scythe defensively. "But I remember what _you_ did…!" she growled. Pyrrha had faced her without fear…

Cinder's fury was slowly beset by amusement. She had wanted this for so long. Her voice box normalized slightly. _"You don't remember? Fine…*skkkkk…* No one will remember you either… Even so…"_

Cinder raised her hand, and the light streaming in from the huge windows began to distort. One quick glance and Ruby could see the glass glow orange and turn molten, globs separating in midair and spinning into hundreds of needle-like spikes

Ruby vanished in a blast of petals and barely threw herself behind the first tier of desks as the glass bits descended upon her in a storm, glancing and tinkling as they embedded or shattered themselves against the hard wood.

It couldn't last though, as even the bits that shattered simply doubled back to pursue her from a different angle, like a swarm of hornets. Ruby reached over to take a shot, but Cinder's palm reached out to negate it outright, barely gesturing as a swath of fire swept through the tier to flush her out.

Ruby vaulted over to the next tier, even firing a retaliatory shot before she ducked out of sight. Cinder recoiled in annoyance as ice crystallized over her arm, a single flex breaking it free as she returned attention to raining the last of the glass down upon the redhead's hiding place.

Cinder waited to hear screams, simpering, but received only silence. She hadn't _killed_ her already? That would make dealing with Qrow inconvenient. All the same…

Her voice box screeched with interference before she spoke, her glass shoes clinking loudly through the lecture hall as she ascended the steps. _"YOu RemembeR WHaT I DID? I can only assume you mean Nikos."_ The winds from the chasm whistled in the newly bare windows. She let flames dance across her fingers as she approached. _"But she WASN't on MY liST, GiRL. I HAD tHE cHAnce To kiLl hEr anD HeR LiTTlE FRIenD. I let them pass... *skrrrrrrr*... NIkOs cAME LOOKING For TROublE. Started a fight she didn't have a PRAYER of winning. NiKOS thReW heR LIfe aWAy… aND WOrse, she died in VAIN..."_

She strafed the last step, flame in hand, only to find an aisle glistening with embedded glass. The girl was _gone._

" _SHUT...UP!"_

A dozen yards up, Cinder barely got a glimpse as Ruby Rose leapt onto the desk at the highest tier near the exit doors. Her scythe was in its rifle mode, muzzle buzzing with overcharged energy.

' _*ZOT!*'_

The Rogue Maiden took the blast in the chest and found herself less _slammed_ into the adjacent wall as embedded, the wood creaking and buckling. The second shot struck her before she could even recover, blasting her the rest of the way through and into the chasm.

Ruby huffed, taking the opportunity to go for the nearby exit. She fumbled with the handle. _Locked._ But the best key was also a _gun_ —

" _AGH!"_ she shrieked, a blistering heat striking her in the back. The door burst through as she was thrown against it, riding it into the hall.

"You're _fast,_ Rose," Cinder said. Ruby flipped onto her back to see the Maiden standing in the vacant window casing. _"But not like that night. I've prepared though...! I'm ready, so let's see the fire in those eyes! Spread those wings! Rise To your HeiGhTS so I CaN caSt you bacK DOwn!"_

" _Wings…?"_

Cinder wheeled her arms back, power coursing through her as she readied her attack. Ruby barely got to her feet in time, wedging the scythe's bladed pike under the flattened door and flipping it upright as a laser-like ray of heat careened towards her.

Ruby barely put her arms up as the door exploded back at her, tossing her painfully aside. The beam punched through the adjacent door in the hall, and the crimsonette hobbled just far enough away to be thrown down the corridor by the concussion and not the incinerating flames as the room exploded.

Crescent Rose skittered over the lacquered floor in front of her, her ears ringing. She barely heard the clack of heels as a figure sauntered through the flames towards her.

* * *

Qrow, Oscar and Gohan found their attention snapped to the building Ruby and Nora had chosen for a perch, as several windows on both floors burst out in a shower of flame and glass. Nora herself was groggily rising from the grass below.

Qrow blinked. "Whoa… what happened?"

"Ruby's in there!" Gohan noted, his senses in overdrive.

"You're certain?" Ozpin asked, hands wringing over the handle of his cane.

"Yeah, she's…" But Gohan noticed he couldn't feel Emerald anywhere in, on, or around the building. Instead her energy was sprinting just before them, headed directly for— "Qrow, watch it!"

"Wha…?!" the Huntsman uttered, turning just in time to see Gohan's palm extend, and paradoxically witness the effect of some invisible force pulse before him and seemingly force Emerald Sustrai to manifest before them, tumbling in from the aether.

"Oggh…!" she groaned, clutching her gut, pupils like pinpricks.

Qrow and Ozpin stood on their guard, looking to each other as the gears wound.

"Hey, if she's here…"

"Then who is Ruby fighting?"

Emerald coughed. "Heh...hehe… take a _guess!"_ Emerald's kneeling form flickered out as Qrow reacted to her attack before she had even made it, back on her feet and locking blades with the grizzled Huntsman.

Qrow turned to Gohan, face pale. "Gohan…! Whatever you've gotta do… keep Ruby _safe!"_

Gohan saw the fear in his eyes and hesitated, but steeled himself and nodded. "Yes si—"

" _GO!"_

* * *

Ruby had no sooner reached for her weapon than the glass heel came down to pin her hand.

"Nnng!" She winced, willing herself to petalburst, but Cinder's strength was immense. She reached with her left instead, but was punished for it with a smashing kick to the ribs… and then another… and then a stomp to her gut, until her crimson Aura sputtered out and died.

" _No no no…"_ Cinder told her. _"You're going to suffer for what you did… Like I suffered… STUPID little girl… You won't give me the fight I want? FINE… We'll just take a minute before going to see dear Qrow."_

"H-how _dare you,"_ Ruby groaned, reaching again, "talk to me about what _you_ suffered—! _Goghh!"_

Cinder grabbed her by the wrist, stamping heel digging into her shoulder blades as she pulled her arm taut. Cinder's other hand choked up on her forearm. _"I think we'll start with what you did to my arm,"_ she explained, as Ruby felt oddly fanglike nails digging into her skin.

Ruby's eyes searched up to find Cinder's, alight with defiance. "I'm not _afraid_ of you…!"

The woman with her golden eye stared, before cracking a humorless grin. _"Then you're a_ fool."

Cinder redoubled her grip, and pulled the joint of Ruby's left arm from its socket with a sickening 'pop.'

" _NNNGKK!"_ Ruby cried, her teeth slamming unconsciously together before her mouth parted in an otherwise silent howl of pain. Her favored arm felt undone, every bit of muscle roared with a radiating pain unlike anything she'd ever felt before as it was pulled beyond its limits. Even Cinder limply dropping it was agony. She couldn't think to fight back the tears rolling down her face, to deny Cinder her satisfaction. It was beyond bearing. The fact that she wasn't screaming was incredible enough, in whatever corner of her mind remained to appreciate it apart from the pain.

" _No… no, that's not GOOD enough!"_ Cinder cried, her foot scooping under Ruby's stomach and flipping her like a flapjack. She couldn't even stare up at Cinder, her vision too obscured by her tears and the anguish that wrought them. _"I've waited_ too _long, worked_ too _hard not to hear you_ scream!"

Cinder turned to find a display case, and with nary a thought a piece of the polished glass turned molten, stretching and solidifying into a foot-length needle. She plucked it from the air. _"But don't worry too much. You're worth more to me ALIVE for now… but you'll wish you weren't."_

Ruby felt Cinder's weight on her as she knelt down, pinning her good arm to the floor and holding the needle high. _"Callows is a psychopath, a rabid dog, but he got one thing right… I think I should make our eyes MATCH, don't you?"_

Ruby saw the tip and winced, and knew Cinder meant for her to cower. Still, she couldn't help twisting her head to keep out of its path.

" _No need to peak your pain threshold so soon though, we'll save that."_

The tip drifted away, lower… She felt the point on her shoulder, just above her collarbone. Cinder gave her a chilling grin.

The pressure mounted, a searing sting that only throbbed worse and worse. She grit her teeth, but couldn't suppress a whimper, her arm still a deadweight of anguish. Cinder let out a breath of laughter with her true voice.

" _AAAAGGHHHH!"_

Ruby _screamed_ , against her will… No, _will_ didn't enter into it. She wailed and flailed unconsciously as the hot, throbbing spire of pain punctured skin and muscle. She could feel it vibrate as the tip scraped the floor underneath. Cinder had punched clear through.

Then the heat she felt before was replaced as she heard a sizzling the instant before her surroundings nerves shrieked. She could _just_ glimpse the glass spike which had begun to glow orange in Cinder's grasp…

" _RUBY!"_ shouted a voice at the end of the hall.

A noise like a jet flyby barely aroused the Maiden's attention before she was kicked off and put a crater in the ceiling, bouncing off and skipping across the hall before landing at the opposite wall, still shrouded in billowing smoke from the blasted lecture hall.

Ruby looked up to see pure rage in Gohan's eyes as he glared at the spot where Cinder vanished. As comforted as she was to see him, Ruby still felt ice run down her back. She had _never_ seen him like this. Angered certainly, but never _this._

"A-ah…!" She winced as she tried to move, but any twitch of her shoulder _tripled_ the actually searing pain. "Gohan…!"

The hate in his eyes vanished, and the gentle child returned at once, hands hovering over her as he stared at the fresh wound. "Oh _no,_ what do I…?! How can—?!"

Even in her pain, she couldn't help her heart bursting. Gohan had been so tough and strong despite his years… but here, scared and uncertain how to help, he definitely _was_ a child. "Bring… _sssss!"_ she hissed, once more invoking accidental agony. "B-bring me… t-t-to Ozpin! Under my right—"

But both had failed to notice as a blazing heatray engulfed the hall on its way to the child, who cried out as he was carried by the force until it struck the far wall.

" _GOHAN!"_ Ruby could only shrink away as an incomparable blaze filled her vision and buffeted her against the side wall. It was so bright she couldn't see, but she heard the creak of splintering wood and a cacophony of glass. She felt an awful shudder and then weightlessness before slamming back into the floor and sliding headfirst into a differently angled surface. She'd have sworn the whistling flames were still upon her, but when she finally opened her eyes she found the Sun and sky bright above.

Her surroundings had been transformed. Cinder's blast had all but flattened this half of the building, tearing the roof off and collapsing the hall into the floor below to leave Ruby sliding down a ramp into smoldering debris. A bomb may well have gone off. And adjacent to this was a smoking hole in the second floor of the opposite building, the roof looking as though a massive crowbar had entered the second story window and some godlike being had given a hard pull from above.

She watched with terror in her eyes as Gohan limply fell from the hole with a groan to the grass below.

" _The CHILD?!"_ Cinder demanded, already at the edge of what remained of the second floor. _"Wait… no…"_ She said, a smile creeping over her. _"You're not a little BOY at all, are you, Spring?"_

Ruby saw Cinder's left arm raise under the absurd sleeve, wreathed in inky black smoke. In that moment, adrenaline got the better of pain, and she rolled onto her feet. Good arm grabbing the discarded Crescent Rose, she raised it in warding, scrambling to stand between her and the boy. "S-stay away from him!"

" _You want MORE?"_ Cinder asked, her hand twitching. "Wait your tur—"

'*PING!*'

The odd sound hit them from above, echoing across the mountains. Ruby was certain she'd heard it before. Even Cinder's attention was drawn to it, as her eyes tilted up.

" _THIS IS THE MISTRAL POLICE FORCE! THROW DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND…"_

But the rest was lost in a mumble as Cinder all but vanished as something stark, burning white and colossal landed atop her like a bomb. Yet more of the upper floor smashed down into the bottom with it. Ruby fought to make out just what she was looking at. A huge figure, crouched from the landing, sword in hand with its fist planted into the floor where Cinder had been. A giant, in gleaming armor, wordless in its vigil.

Ruby collapsed to her knees, the pain in her shoulder overcoming her curiosity, even as something landed softly in the grass nearby with a shimmering noise.

"Ruby?!" The voice… Something stirred in Ruby Rose as feet clattered towards her. Suddenly a hand was gently on her back, investigating before there was a gasp. "Oh my _god…!"_

She knew she had to be delirious from the pain… it _couldn't_ be. _"Weiss…?"_

* * *

Emerald Sustrai was sweating. Qrow himself was difficult enough to keep in a holding pattern with hit and run tactics, but the kid with the sun-kissed skin and orange suspenders was _bizzarely_ good, and kept tagging her with his damn nightstick. In short, she knew the older Huntsman was too much for her _alone._

Qrow himself growled as he suddenly found himself on a crumbling sandstone cliff. He shut his eyes and thrust his blade at the sound to his left. When he opened them again he was back in the Haven quad, and Emerald was on her knees, ducked into a home-run slide to escape his attack and breathing heavily in surprise.

"You're gettin' predictable, kid," Qrow remarked. "A semblance like _that,_ and with a few exceptions you've mostly stuck to _blinding_ me one way or another to sneak in a hit. Pretty wasted on an otherwise talented fighter."

"I don't need your advice, _old man!"_ Emerald spat.

Qrow's expression soured further. "Nah, we're clear past that, aren't we?"

She barely rolled out of the way as he fired both shot barrels, rising to her feet just in time to parry another blow from the farm boy and back off right beside Mercury.

"I'm dying out here, Merc!" she said quietly as they both faced their own foes. "You done messing around yet?!"

Mercury shook his head with a sigh. "Can't land a decisive hit," he admitted. "Pink-streaks is slippery, and the Second-Coming of Blondie over there can take a hit and just shrug it off."

'*PING!*'

Both of them looked up.

"Oh, _great…!"_

" _THIS IS THE MISTRAL POLICE FORCE! THROW DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND SUBMIT IMMEDIATELY!"_

While most of the airships circled, two of them dropped a small payload of human beings, and three males landed with them in the quad. The first was dark skinned, tattooed with a ragged spike of green hair. The second was pale, loosely wearing a gold-trimmed red jacket, hair of the same shade sleekly combed over and trailing down one side of his head.

"Better late than never," Jaune muttered, keeping one eye on the deadly pair.

"Who are they again?" Ren asked, using the pause to switch magazines.

Lastly was a tan youth in red and black, a shock of blue hair somewhat pinned up by his yellow goggles. "Team SSSN, not to be outdone! So what'd we miss?"

"You jokers sure took your sweet time!" Qrow called out.

Neptune Vasilias shrugged in offense as his trident unfolded. "Hey, we made the tip-off just like you said! We can't be held responsible for police response times! _Abysmal…"_

"And in such an upper-class neighborhood as well," Scarlet tutted, thumb twirling his flintlock.

Mercury sighed as he stared over the steepening odds. "We done with the high school reunion? Because I'm all too eager to kick your faces in."

"Feeling's mutual!" Neptune postured. "Nobody messes with _our_ alma mater!"

Ren glanced over with evident annoyance. "It's only an alma mater if you're not _currently_ attending it."

"Pshh!" Neptune intoned. "It's called summer break, man. They don't have that where you come from?"

"That is not what it m…!" Ren argued. "I _AM_ from here!"

Emerald's expression soured further. "This is seriously my life right now…"

* * *

"Shush!" she ordered. "I need to take care of this! The cold should numb the pain a little."

There was more of that shimmering sound as Ruby felt ice lightly encase her shoulder. She winced as a hand gripped the glass needle from the front, the other hand against her stomach to settle her weight into her rescuer's.

"Okay, on three…! One…!"

A searing pain racked Ruby as the glass needle was pulled from her all at once. _"AGHHHHH! Owwwwwwwwwwww...!"_

Ruby was gripped tight as she squirmed in pain, fresh tears rolling as the red-smeared glass was tossed aside. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry… You absolute _DOLT!_ What are you _doing_ in this place, fighting all alone?! Do you know what could have happened to you?!"

Once Ruby had stopped writhing, the voice's owner stepped around to her front, pale legs beneath a smoky-amethyst dress. She knelt to Ruby's level, and silver eyes stared into icy blue, her usual annoyance belied by a lip that couldn't stay still. "What if you'd _died?!_ What am _I_ supposed to do...?!"

Ruby winced as, almost out of nowhere, Weiss Schnee pulled her into a hug, chin resting on her good shoulder. "...What am I supposed to do without my _best friend…?"_ she muttered, voice breaking. "You _idiot...!"_ She sniffed, sitting a while.

"...I-I missed you too, Weiss…" Ruby replied with a smile even as her heart brimmed and her eyes blurred, willing her partner not to twist her shoulder wrong as she tried to even comprehend how she was _here_.

With a noise of whistling air, another figure landed nearby, and Ruby heard a gruff voice growl. "Okay, don't embarrass me!" he admonished. "I didn't come here for the sentimental downpour… She's not fully fit yet, take care of it."

"...Yes sir," Weiss sighed. "Come on, Ruby."

They both got up, Weiss supporting her, and Ruby finally turned to see this new man. Clad in an oddly familiar sort of jumpsuit and armor, he wasn't all that tall. His hair rose in a great ragged spike, eyes sharp, features harsh. He walked directly towards Gohan.

"Huh, I _thought_ that energy felt familiar," he said, "but I still didn't expect we'd _actually_ track down Kakarot's kid."

"His kid?" Weiss asked, suddenly taking an acute interest in the boy.

"Caca… wuh…?" Ruby wondered.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't get him _started_ on this 'Kakarot' person, _trust_ m—"

" _GRAAAAGHH!"_ came the screech from the shifting rubble, before the gleaming white giant was split with a sweltering force, and evaporated as Cinder Fall blasted up out of the rubble, staring around for her next victim, a tear of flame trailing from her eye. _"Bring whoever you like, girl, you only bind their fate with your own!"_

"What a disgrace!" Vegeta cried out suddenly, drawing Cinder's gaze. The man's back was turned to her entirely, instead addressing Gohan, who steadily got to his feet. "All of _three_ beings of Saiyan blood left in the Universe, and you sully that distinction against _this_ embarrassment?"

He officially had Cinder's full attention as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder to indicate her.

"V-Vegeta…?!" Gohan answered, staring at him like he were a phantom. "N-no! You don't understand, she has this magic that—"

Vegeta huffed, turning to face Cinder. "Pathetic! You expect to make _any_ headway against Frieza, making excuses in the face of a woman sworn to vengeance against some feeble girl?" Vegeta locked eyes with Ruby, who could only frown awkwardly being so passingly addressed.

'Vegeta'... she recognized that name…

"Look at her! Not power enough to spook a Saibaman! To take _that_ for a rival paints a dismal picture."

Cinder said nothing, instead letting her palms shine at her side with crimson power.

Vegeta finally turned to face her with a smirk. "Oh! Have I sufficiently offended you, trollop? Hmph! Take it out on me if you dare… I'll give you the first shot."

Cinder's power only built, the air around her spiraling as the glow in her fists vibrated. _"Right…"_ she whispered dangerously.

"Vegeta, _seriously,_ raise your power! Don't—!" Gohan began again, before his hand was taken by Weiss, who ushered all of them well out of the way.

"If you know him at _all,_ you know his mind's made up!" Weiss told him.

Lightning struck at points on the damaged building around them as Vegeta laughed. "That's it, don't hold anything back! We wouldn't want your passing marred by any further regrets!"

Cinder finally brought her hands together, adjoining the two swirling powers as the Saiyan Prince eagerly rooted himself with a combat stance. "Do it!"

"Whoa whoa _whoa!"_ came an annoyed voice racing around the rubble. Nora Valkyrie stared at the situation as she found herself across from no-man's land. "What the heckin' hey is happening here?!"

"Nora, get _back!"_ Ruby called.

Haven itself shook as both Cinder's true and artificial voices roared, and a blinding flash signified the release of an earth-splitting torrent of raw red power. Nora screamed girlishly as she was blown back from the chaos and tumbled backwards over the grass.

Vegeta watched it, a manic grin plastered across his visage as he welcomed the coming blow. Lording himself over the weak wasn't his preferred pastime, but he could never deny his own amusement whenever they finally realized what they were up against.

The attack took an instant to reach him, but for the Prince himself, he knew he could have evaded it three times over. Instead, he let the power wash over him. Even at this minimal output, the Remnant humans hadn't come close to injuring him bef—

" _AAAAAAAAAAARGGHHH!"_

It was as though Vegeta had been hit by an oncoming train. To any of his onlookers, the Saiyan had vanished amidst the blinding light. The blast carried past him as though he weren't even there, practically hollowing out the smoking building as it burned through. A far courtyard hundreds of yards away erupted with a brilliant scarlet nova as the blast reached its limit, and what remained of the structure was collapsed and strewn along the path of annihilation.

* * *

The standoff was stirred as the blast flattened the building as a whole.

Neptune blanched. _"Holy…!"_

"Ruby…" Qrow breathed.

"The others!" Jaune cried.

Emerald grinned. _When one door closes…_

The chained blades shot out to grab a nearby bench and wrench it off the concrete, swinging it around and into the three newcomers.

* * *

" _VEGETA!"_ Weiss shouted, surprising even herself.

Gohan stared in shock. "Oh _NO!"_

" _CAN PEOPLE QUIT TRYING TO BLOW ME UP?!"_ Nora demanded from her spot several yards off.

Above them, the police airships were no less distressed. _"DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED; FIRE AT WILL, REPEAT, FIRE AT WILL!"_ the PA speakers blared before a hail of gunfire rained down upon Cinder Fall's position, drawing her attention.

With but a swipe of her hand, the sky appeared to darken as a swirl of wind and clouds manifested. The canyon crackled with energy as lightning split the air with a roar, striking every airship repeatedly within seconds.

The first's sails were ripped apart and set alight, limping off with a mournful siren. A second was left dead in the air as the arcing bolts found the propeller turbine and shorted the engines, leaving it doomed as the third drifted directly into them, belching fire from its aft end as a strike found the vessel's fuel cells.

Both ships ground against each other creaking and twisting until a great silent spark erupted into an all encompassing fireball, the noise only reaching them a split second later in a blast of wind.

Cinder admired her work as embers rained down, and it was hard for the other fighters to miss either. The PA of the surviving ships shrieked indecipherable orders as they shrank off. She turned back to her prey.

They were _gone._

She gave a growl. _"Can't chase a hunch with all of Mistral breathing down my neck… Better go straight to the source."_ She looked across the crowded battlefield. Sure enough, she found the grey Huntsman across the quad.

* * *

Gohan kept pace as Ruby dragged Weiss and Nora through the air in a whirl —despite her injury— through the various courtyards of Haven. They sailed past the full-size bonsai-like trees to follow the flaming swath of destruction Cinder carved out. But at last, Ruby slowed with a wince. "H-hold it! Argh…!"

They came to an awkward stop in the shade of an awning as Ruby slumped against the wall.

"What's wrong?!" Gohan asked, eyes frantic with concern.

" _Seriously,_ what did I miss…?" Nora wondered, looking lost. "Where did _you_ come from?"

"We can play twenty-questions _later!_...It's like Vegeta said," Weiss told him, looking over every inch of her partner for signs, "she's not entirely fine. Where does it hurt?"

"W-wait…!" Ruby groaned. "Those airships…! We need to reach the surviv—"

She stopped, feeling Gohan's hand on her good shoulder. He was staring out into the sky, at the dregs of flaming wreckage. His intense stare softened sadly. His eyes found hers, and he shook his head.

Ruby sagged. Then she shook, stiffening. _"It's always just the people in her way…"_

Weiss put a finger under Ruby's chin and lifted it up. "Ruby, _focus._ We can't help _them,_ and you can't help _anyone_ until you let us help _you._ So… where does it hurt?"

"...S-she pulled my arm out…" Ruby groaned, indicating her left. "It's still…"

"It's dislocated," Weiss assessed with a sympathetic sigh, gently guiding the redhead to a crouch and pivoting to behind her. "Ruby I need you to try relaxing as much as you can."

She obeyed, and Weiss let her lean back a few degrees. "Nora… er… Kakarot's so—?"

"Ya' stepped in what…?" Nora whispered.

"My Dad's name is _'Goku,' "_ the boy corrected flatly.

"I… Sure. I need both of you to help me keep her still."

Faces brimming with apology, they flanked Ruby from either side in a sort of lopsided hug. Weiss reached around her and tried to get the firmest grip of her upper arm as delicately as possible. "Ruby… this is going to _hur—"_

"I-I've seen movies, Weiss," Ruby told her, not clarifying.

"Okay… on three…"

"I'm not falling for that again."

Weiss closed her eyes, allowing herself a humored sigh. "You asked for it… Okay…"

There was a pause as she took a breath. "HMPH!"

" _AUGHHH!"_ Ruby shrieked over the dense sound as cartilage protested. Her eyes slammed shut, and she took heavy breaths, two beady drops rolling down her face.

"Okay…!" Weiss sighed, this time with relief in her voice. "We're done. Your Aura should take care of the rest. Can you move it?"

The red reaper took a moment as she let her eyes open, gingerly pointing her elbow in widening circles until she gave her whole shoulder a good shake. "Thank you…"

"Hmm," Weiss offered with a nod, before getting up and immediately returning to their task. The others had to sprint a moment to catch her. "So what in the _world_ are you doing here, and why… no, _how_ do you know Kakaro— know _Goku's_ son?"

Ruby gave an animated shrug —savoring the fact she could do that now— "He just _flashed_ in front of us some place! Dragon-whatsits or whatever!"

"That… _mostly_ matches my experience?" Weiss said. "But why are you _HERE?_ I escaped my family to find Winter and the rest of you!"

"And Vegeta just came with you?!" Gohan asked, looking astonished.

"Your guess is as good as mine, kid!" Weiss admitted, ducking a particularly low tree branch. "But I'm only here because the police came bothering the Atlesian Embassy for help, talking about an emergency situation up at Haven with too few Huntsmen to spare! We were trying to see if Winter had avoided the recall order."

"And… _VEGETA_ agreed to come help?" Gohan said, again flabbergasted.

"I think he was bored?" she admitted. "You still haven't said what _this_ is about! How could that _woman_ just _floor_ _VEGETA_ like that?! Wasn't she at Beacon?! I watched him rip up a town square!"

"Weiss, I'd like to answer all of that, but there's _really REALLY_ no time to explain!" Ruby told her as they rounded another corner.

"Short version?" Nora began. "Magic's real, Cinder's a sorceress, she works for the Grimm Devil… bee-tee-dubz, _there's a Grimm Devil…_ she wants four magic thingies hidden under the schools, and Ozpin is _CRAZY OLD_ and also a little _cutie_ boy."

Weiss blinked. "I'm… gonna need the long version."

"Stop the baddies, save the world," Ruby surmised. "That's all you need to know for now."

Weiss sighed explosively. "Well, I was already _supposedly_ on a world-saving mission… Is this anything to do with this 'Frieza' person?"

"Uh…" Ruby considered. "That's…"

"Sorta on the back burner," Nora finished.

* * *

She strode brusquely into the melee. Three more junior Huntsmen had arrived, but two were back nursing their wounds as the blue-haired buffoon clashed with Emerald alongside the stoic in green. Somehow the tech-laden trident had snagged one of her chains, and he was staring past their owner in _terror_ at something Emerald had no doubt conjured as he fought to escape. Something he was shrieking about 'hydromancy…?'

Unwilling to relinquish her khopesh, Emerald struggled to fight the other off with one free hand.

They barely noticed her approach as she swept her palm up, a blasting wind tossing the lot, scattering them across the quad. Emerald, wresting the trident from the kid, tossed it aside as she leapt to her mistress' side.

"No more wasting time," Cinder explained. "We do what we came for, nothing simpler."

Emerald flashed a look of concern. "But what if the Maiden isn't nearby…?"

Cinder leered. "Call it a hunch…"

* * *

They finally found the Saiyan Prince. A scorched trench in the surrounding lawn trailed all the way back to the demolished buildings. The edges of the blackened swath reeked of the acrid scent of burning sod, smoking everywhere and still aflame in places. One of the bonsai-like trees had been half in the path of destruction, its reaching branches split back, its leaves consumed. Yet the other half remained, a two-faced vision of life and death.

"Ahh— _Aghhhhh…!"_ groaned the flattened Saiyan, limbs sprawled, jaw slack as he bared his teeth. He flickered with a blue energy.

Weiss approached cautiously, kneeling beside him. "It broke his Aura… but if it hadn't resisted the damage, it could have been worse. He's not even _burned."_

"He… looks pretty out of it though," Ruby noted, the space warrior barely noticing them.

Weiss nodded, frowning. "I don't get it… he did the same thing with _me,_ letting me get in a shot. Said he was lowering himself to my level for that instant, and even _then_ I couldn't _touch_ him while he has full control of his _'yuu-ki.' "_

Gohan shook his head. "He didn't _lower_ his power specifically, but him and I aren't at our best right now. If our energy is raised too high, Frieza can _find_ us, and since I haven't sensed Vegeta, Krillin or my _Dad,_ I think we've _all_ been pushing ourselves low to hide among the fighters like you. But that makes us more vulnerable."

Weiss shook her head. "I don't think it should have mattered. Vegeta said he sensed we should be _much_ stronger than we are. You guys pushed to _our_ level still keeps you _well_ above a Huntsman… So how did she do _this?!"_

"We tried to warn him," Ruby explained. "Cinder is a _Maiden,_ she has _magic."_

"Magic…" Weiss repeated flatly. "Let's say I believed that. Magic is _that_ strong?"

Gohan shook his head. "It's not a matter of _strength._ Ozpin told us magic breaks the usual rules, levels a lot of fields. You can overpower it, but Vegeta wasn't using enough. Without reinforcing his body to take it, she could hit him about as hard as anyone else."

Weiss sighed. "Well that figures. You… Gohan?"

The boy nodded.

"You have this energy sense he talks about," Weiss suggested. "He _looks_ like he'll be fine, but what do you think?"

Gohan nodded, putting a hand on Vegeta's shoulder and closing his eyes. "I… think he's okay. But he's gonna be _seriously_ angry when he wakes up."

"Hmm…" Weiss intoned with a nod. "That's what I think too. And after what he got up to in Atlas…"

Nora leaned amidst them, her eyes comically wide for her flat expression. "What? What's he gonna do?"

"Vegeta's been helpful lately," Gohan said at last, "but even back on Planet Namek he was up to no good! Just the last few days he wiped out a whole village."

Weiss' eyebrows rose. She looked to the man, still heaving with pain. "Yes… He's said a lot of things and made a lot of threats, but I guess I just hadn't heard it from someone that _knows_ him."

She appeared lost in thought, before finally coming to a decision. "Gohan… could you stay with Vegeta?"

"Huh? Stay with—?"

"If he comes to and decides to go on another rampage he'll be the most dangerous thing here," Weiss clarified. "So far he seems to think I'm valuable, but if I get in his way I still think I'm a lot less likely to get away with it alive."

Ruby looked between the Saiyans, trying to conjure that sensation Gohan had given her. It was to no avail. "Gohan is _ridiculous_ levels of strong, yeah… but I don't _think_ they're equal?"

Gohan shook his head. "Vegeta's easily twice my strength. I could hold him off, maybe, if I _had_ to, but besides all that he's a better _fighter_ than me."

"...Right," Weiss sighed.

Gohan wasn't finished. "But I know he's less likely to just kill me. He _knows_ he needs all the help he can get against Frieza, _and_ I'm a half Saiyan… with my Dad, it's just the three of us left.

"And he's the _'Prince of Saiyans,' "_ Weiss muttered, putting it together. "Talk about fading glory… Wait, _half_ Saiyan? What's the _other_ half?"

"Human. _Earth_ human, I mean…"

Recognition flashed in Weiss' eyes. "Right, he _did_ ask me if this was _Earth_ when I first met him…! How in the…?" She shook her head. "No… later… I'm going to give myself a migraine. Ruby?"

The crimsonette cycled her weapon. "Got it. The others are gonna need our help…"

"Hey…" Gohan said suddenly, staring out. "You guys hear that?"

Weiss nearly admonished him, but then the rest of them heard it as well. For a moment it sounded like the return of police airships, but Mistral's craft were far quieter than this. It began as a whistle on the wind. The canyons reverberated with it, the high, controlled shriek of approaching bullheads.

Even Nora's eyes narrowed with concern. "You don't think…?"

* * *

"No! Keep _lower!"_ Adam Taurus demanded of his pilot as they cleared the surrounding farmlands, now brushing the lower ghettos of Mistral's underbelly.

"Much lower and we're tempting the reaper!" the antlered pilot objected as they skimmed the very rooftops.

"Much _higher_ and those defensive guns get their shots," Adam explained, hand firmly gripping the ceiling support. "They won't risk hitting their own!"

Other White Fang cells had joined them as they raced up Anima like ghosts across the vast land. They had already lost one of their bullheads to a freak encounter with a Nevermore. In total they were twelve airships strong.

"He's right," Hazel opined, the faunus regarding him awkwardly, "Use your every advantage, or you won't make it. Haven isn't Beacon… the school is at the heart of everything here."

"What's got _you_ so calm, huh?" one of the nervous fighters demanded of the huge human. "You're stuck on the same ship, _your_ life is in his hands too."

Hazel huffed with dispassion. "Not really."

The ships wound along different paths as they reached the foothills, screeching as hidden turrets across the city tracked them and fired. It was more suppressionary than effective, but it formed the narrowest labyrinth the ships could afford to follow. Fate had a deadly coin toss for them, however, as prior to the final ascent a hidden set of anti air guns popped up to catch them in the crossfire.

" _DAMN!"_

They fired their forward facing guns in a heavy chain chatter, but it didn't save them all. Two of the foremost bullheads were struck by the incoming flack, the first exploding outright in a shower of debris, and the second losing its starboard wing to be ground and smeared against the cliffs. Even in the daylight, the clouds of fire glowed to eclipse the Sun. A third of their number evaded the fire and was caught by the other guns, steel shredded like paper as it all but flew apart.

At last they began their vertical rise, too close to Haven and the cliff-nested homes for the defensive guns to risk.

* * *

Several of the ones Cinder had blasted away were coming back, but it scarcely mattered. Emerald had joined Mercury to push back the two boys giving him trouble. Oddly, the younger of them had become the fiercest in their desperation. But the Rogue Maiden had eyes only for Qrow, whose weapon projected a staff, its blade breaking to curve into another damn scythe as their eyes met.

" _Poor Huntsman… Did you REALLY believe you stood a chance?"_

There was a roar from the tan boy as he dove in, his truncheon thrust at her blind side. Her finger zipped to face him before he could reach, a jolt of lightning inverting his momentum and pelting him to roll dozens upon dozens of feet to the neighboring buildings.

" _KID!"_ Qrow shouted, but his divided attention served him ill. A curved, flaming blade raked across him, and he staggered back several paces, dim red Aura sparking. Cinder swept after, skating across the ground on trails of flame.

But he wasn't done. Once in range, still off balance, Qrow let the scythe swing out low. Its curve swept behind her knees, and a strong tug surprised her, glass heels shooting out in front of her. With the remaining momentum his weapon had, he collapsed it back to its blade and blasted the wall behind him with shot. He was propelled onto his feet and back forward, another shot for good measure like a rocket was mounted to him as he brought the blade down. _"YAAAAAAARGH!"_

There was a slam as both fighters came to a screeching halt, free dust sifted away from the impact.

Cinder's teeth grit as she held the heft of the blade between her palms, its tip inches from her nose. She nearly cracked a grin when both barrels erupted in her face.

She groaned, but shoved the blade to the side, its momentum driving it into the stony floor before she she reared back and kicked Qrow in the chest with both feet. He slammed flat against the side of Haven Hall half a flight high, but didn't have time even to fall as Cinder had snapped back to her feet, and the inky black hand beneath her sleeve shot out to pin him there by the neck.

Her harpoon of a Grimm arm slackened, only to literally choke-slam him down against the floor before her. _"Unlike your niece, I don't have time to waste with you, so let's cut to the chase."_

"Go to HELL!" he managed around her freakish grip. "You better not have laid a _finger_ on—"

" _Let's put a pin in that one, shall we?"_ Her grip only tightened, bony claws drawing beads of red on his throat as he struggled. _"She's ALIVE if that's your concern… So tell me… Spring… you disguised her as the little boy, didn't you? Powerful little tyke."_

Then the old grizzled bastard did something she hadn't expected. He _laughed._

" _Sure!_ She's a super-kid in drag, go find her and get what's coming to you… Waste all the time you want."

She shook as he grinned at her. She relinquished the claws and lifted him up to her level against the wall, none too gently. _"You think a child Maiden could stand up to me?! Or is the boy something else?! You may not value your own life, you washed-up old nothing, but I will SKIN your little Rose alive, petal by petal, if you don't start making sense NOW!"_

Qrow regarded her with hate, glancing down at the slender black arm. _"Knew_ something about you felt inhuman… Like I _said,_ you _abomination,_ you're wasting your time…" He choked as he laughed. "She's probably already _got_ the Relic by now."

" _She…? What?!"_ Cinder demanded. _"This… This was all a distraction?!"_

"Nah, I'm not in _that_ good with her," Qrow admitted, "but she's nothing if not an opportunist!"

Qrow couldn't help but laugh and laugh as Cinder prepared to melt his very face off… but then the air was filled with the whine of several large turbines. The battlefield as a whole turned to the sound.

Over half a dozen bullheads soared suddenly over the school, finding almost any clear landing spot they could find near or far in a frantic display.

Cinder growled. _What were THEY doing here?_

Emerald and Mercury had doubled back to guard her in the disruption, the curtain-haired woman turning to her. "Their timing's not bad. Pretty golden opportunity, Ma'am."

" _No, NO, you're forgetting what they're here to do!"_ Cinder shot back.

"Then what's the order, boss?" Mercury asked.

" _First I—"_ But out of nowhere a cluster of loose tiles flew from the wash of the bullheads and smashed over her head. It was but a momentary thing, but Qrow laughed knowingly all the same. She threw him bodily several yards like a ragdoll before turning to the massive Hall doors. _"I'm going in to check! Don't let any of them i—"_

As if enough things hadn't dropped from the sky, none other than Hazel Reinhardt slammed down between them from one of the bullheads, regarding the scene flatly. "Do whatever needs doing. _We'll_ cover you."

" _I never ASKED for your help, Hazel,"_ Cinder told him waspish. _"This wasn't the PLAN."_

Hazel shook his head. "And an incredibly public skirmish _was?_ No. The Taurus boy is a loose cannon. But you'd know all about that."

Cinder grumbled, a glass arrow molding from the crystalline dust in her satchel. She drew a dark thread from her Grimm flesh and wrapped it around the arrowhead. "Just don't get these two killed."

With that, Cinder stepped inside. Lionheart hadn't stuck around… and neither had the statue, leaving a great circular hole in the floor. Her twisted heart went cold.

"...I said _no_ …" came a voice, echoing up the shaft. Cinder listening intently, hearing the grind of stone as the lift to the vault ascended.

"It's too risky! This place will be swarming with police!" said a younger voice in argument.

"And I'm wanted in _all_ of Vale," said the other. "Mistral is the perfect place to slip away. Just stay put until I've sent for you. Getting away is never the hard part for me."

They finally reached the surface, and Cinder beheld as a most unexpected pair stepped off, the statue rising the rest of the way back into place.

The smaller of them was a mystery, some punky girl with boyishly short hair, tattooed with torn clothes. The other needed no introduction. Clad in robes and armor the same bloody shade as her eyes, a waterfall of jet black hair down her back. _Raven Branwen…_

...And in her hand hung a great golden lantern, breathing within with an otherworldly blue glow… _the Relic of Knowledge…!_

The talk ceased as they locked eyes with Cinder. A split second and a red blade split the air beside them, a bloody portal ripping into being beside the pair as they prepared to dash through.

" _COWARD!"_

Both of them stopped in their tracks. _"Leader,"_ the smaller woman whispered maliciously, "please, let _me_ uphold—"

"I'm no _leader_ Vernal, there's no need for that."

Cinder's brow rose. _Vernal_ …

Vernal turned to Raven, vaguely distressed. "R... _Raven…!"_

The bandit lord finally broke eye contact with Cinder. "If I can't take my _own_ honor, I _have_ none. Take the damn Relic through and _I'll—!"_

A shrill whistling was the only warning before Vernal staggered, eyes like pinpricks, her Aura flaring as it died. The black arrow had struck her just beneath the ribs, a long thread stretching back to its owner, who grinned back even as she banished her bow.

Raven only had eyes for the poor girl as she began to lose balance, dropping the lantern in a clatter. Raven breathed one word. _"Rufina…!"_

Cinder swept forward, reeling the thread back into her monstrous paw as she readied the flame that would put Raven out for good.

Raven Branwen barely turned towards Cinder before the flames engulfed her point blank, a geyser from the wells of Hell itself. Cinder regarded the gasping, dying breaths of the younger woman. _" 'Vernal?' As if you could have made it more obvi—"_

But even as she kept up the torrents of flame, a gloved hand reached through and closed over her own palm, and the Rogue Maiden only stared in shock as her flame was reduced to near nothingness. Raven Branwen's blood red eyes were fixed upon hers, lip curled in hate. There wasn't a mark upon her.

" _What?!"_

At last, Cinder understood, as the fire in Raven's eyes took life as true tears of crimson flame at the margins. "Don't you get it?!" she asked, voice shaking, " _You chose WRONG…"_

The red blade swished to sever Cinder's fruitless connection to the young bandit, and for good measure, swept a foot to kick the Relic through the lingering portal.

" _NO!"_ Cinder cried desperately, Grimm arm blasting out to retrieve it. But with a motion of Raven's blade, the portal vanished to nothing in an instant.

* * *

Taiyang sat at the table with his coffee, watching as Goku stared out into the rain. Nothing he said had been able to persuade the man to come back inside, and he only looked to grow more tense as time wore on. "Downright _creepy,"_ he mused.

' _*Shing...*'_

He sat bolt upright. He knew that sound…

The red flash was there and gone, and as he prepared to stand, he brushed something with his foot. Staring down, he found an ornate little gold and teal artifact. He seized it by its handle, holding the glowing prize to eye level.

"...What the hell is this…?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Woooo!**_

 _ **So now you guys can probably see why this has taken so particularly long. This is what we've been building towards for a good long while. It's time to do the Volume 5 Finale right.**_

 _ **As the finale of the story's first act, the Battle of Haven has demanded a LOT more work than usual, incorporating RWBY style combat and letting the various players shine.**_

 _ **As you can tell, I took QUITE a bit of issue with how the canon version went down.**_

 _ **Firstly? Fight our heroes' fight, for crying out loud. With all the talk in early Volume 5 about Leo acting strangely and potentially working for the other side, they walk right into an obvious trap and seem dumbfounded. Even if it's not MUCH of a plan, setting a counter ambush and diverting Cinder's forces is so much better than the nothing they did in V5 Chapter 11.**_

 _ **Secondly, no idiot plot. In Volume 5, the matchups only occur to pair off fighters as individually as possible. Some of it was more sensible, like Ruby wanting to help Jaune but being sidelined by Emerald the whole time, or Mercury picking off Yang, or even Qrow getting mad and attacking Raven for her betrayal.**_

 _ **But then you have Oscar starting a fight with Leo, who wasn't threatening anyone, or Ren and Nora abandoning Jaune to go fight Hazel. All while Jaune enters single combat with a MAIDEN.**_

 _ **Actually, screw the numbering. Going freeform.**_

 _ **The fight is outside, because nobody was dumb enough to be corralled inside a building. They had backup on standby (Team SSSN) who canonically should have been in Mistral at the time, and sounded the alarm before coming in to help.**_

 _ **Ruby duels with Emerald and realizes she's confronting the person who took Penny's life after getting clues from her abilities. The resulting fight isn't long, but features their abilities and ample use of environment.**_

 _ **In fact, all the fights do that. Instead of setting up for duels we see brief flashes of that might as well be stick figures standing in place flailing their arms at each other like Dexter and Mandark, the fights have peaks and valleys. The characters use the combat as an excuse and physical externalization for the greater things DRIVING their character. It becomes a half-physical argument, with philosophies clashing as surely as blades and beams do.**_

 _ **Ruby and Nora use wit and teamwork to counter Emerald's powers. Ozpin and Leo don't fight at ALL. Their conflict is entirely verbal, two old friends at odds. Leo restates what he told Qrow earlier, that he feels obligated by duty to protect his charges, even at the risk of losing something like a Relic.**_

 _ **Cinder arrives on the battlefield with a singular purpose, and unlike in the canon where they've never actually held a conversation —seriously?!— Ruby fights for her LIFE against an extremely powerful demigod of a foe, all the while confronting the source of so much pain. Callous, Cinder turns the blame for Pyrrha's murder back upon Pyrrha herself.**_

 _ **Ruby struggles to keep her head above water, but ultimately Cinder is too strong for her alone.**_

 _ **Even poor Qrow gets to have a badass moment —poor guy rarely gets that anymore— doing his damndest to kill Cinder and greatly diminish the enemy forces even though he fails.**_

 _ **Yeah, Mercury kinda gets the short of the stick, but the best person to fight him in a meaningful way is Yang, and she's not present right now. The difference is, these fights are actually FIGHTS, and we see WHY a character is defeated. I can't tell you how infuriating it was to see Ruby, Weiss and Blake get cut to while Ruby tells them all to surrender, and Mercury just punches the ground in frustration like there was this great fight happening and we just never saw it. To hell with that.**_

 _ **Likewise, enough of this nonsense where Salem's gang, a threat fit to topple nations, is scared of the cops. Cinder literally swats them away, because these people are Huntsman killers. It's hard to believe the writers who made Whitley seem clueless and arrogant for asking what a Huntress could do that an army couldn't turned around and made basic law enforcement a threat to the ones who toppled Beacon.**_

 _ **That's what I love about the escalation this chapter. It all starts so small, just this little fight between a few actors, and slowly it snowballs into this all out war worthy of Qrow's words, "It'll be the Fall of Beacon all over again," as more people and elements become embroiled.**_

 _ **And I won't sugarcoat it: Cinder TORTURES Ruby. Brutal? Yes… but anything less would diminish Cinder as a believable threat. She's deadly, and she wants Ruby to suffer in exchange for how she'd been humbled. This isn't a game. None of it is permanent damage of course. In fact with some immediate work she's good enough to keep fighting. But it's a sobering moment to see just how much Cinder hates her, and that by herself, for all her courage, Ruby isn't enough to combat such raw power. Caught alone, the best she could do was survive.**_

 _ **I really enjoy the idea that, confused by Gohan's abilities, Cinder assumes he's actually the Spring Maiden disguised as a boy. I mean, what else is she supposed to think of this kid that tagged her in rage like a soccer ball?**_

 _ **Weiss having her emotional reunion with Ruby rather than Yang is personal preference… but still. I don't doubt that after being taken prisoner and escaping Atlas, Weiss would absolutely be floored to get effectively rescued by not just a familiar face, but one of her teammates…**_

 _ **...Buuuut come on. I like this better. Weiss finds Ruby in peril, ambiguous to whether she'd have survived without her, and seriously contemplates the idea of losing Ruby. The warmest in a family full of the affection she never knew before Beacon, and her partner. Weiss lets her walls down and admits how much their friendship really means to her, underneath the sighs and sarcasm. Weiss couldn't imagine if Ruby had died without knowing she truly was the best friend she'd ever had.**_

 _ **Then Vegeta wades into things, and…**_

 _ **I don't want to HEAR it.**_

 _ **I know some of you are out there, and you'll tell me you take issue with what Cinder did to Vegeta. Firstly… I worked my ASS off to ensure what happened was explained as clearly as possible by Gohan and the others. You can't tell me that doesn't follow the rules, and you can't tell me that sort of cocky behavior isn't in character for Vegeta.**_

 _ **The argument I CAN see being made is… why take Vegeta out of the fight?**_

 _ **You KNOW why. Vegeta set loose would own the entire battlefield in minutes if he wanted. You know it and I know it. You can argue therefore that he should have come in later, but then you don't get Weiss either, and Vegeta's commentary is just too fun not to inject.**_

 _ **Fun fact, Sivam was the one to specifically request that Vegeta roast Cinder in the verbal sense, which worked only too well. Even HE doesn't remember why he wanted that, but it was around Volume 5's release so...**_

 _ **I'm sorry, but if you were hoping the Z characters would totally trivialize and win this thing for them, I'm not doing that. That's boring.**_

 _ **The Battle of Haven is RWBY's fight to win or lose. It is the culmination of all the grief and tensions felt since Beacon. I wanted to do it right since the canon version botched the job, and I therefore wanted the Z characters involvement to be minimal. This is about the last chance for pure RWBY combat to be relevant, and a total anticlimax would be wrong.**_

 _ **Make no mistake, I'm not downplaying the strength of Gohan or Vegeta. I have a balancing act of faithfulness against crafting an engaging story. Note I sneak stuff in, like Gohan sensing and shutting down Emerald in one shot while she's invisible and leaving her on her face…**_

 _ **...But imagine if the whole battle went like that. Boop… dead. Boop… dead. Where's the fun? With exceptions, this is RWBY's fight to the hilt.**_

 _ **But don't worry. The time for Z to shine is swift approaching, and won't it have more impact if the desperate struggle happens only for these Ki-wielding titans to show they could have wiped this entire battle at any time?**_

 _ **Maximum effect, my friends. Maximum effect.**_

 _ **Also, Raven shows up of her own accord… and calls Vernal by a different name. What, you didn't think the decoy Spring Maiden's name was LITERALLY a name that MEANS Spring, did you? Nah, it would be ABSURD to play that straight...**_

— _ **Leers at Miles and Kerry—**_

 _ **Oh, also… I just couldn't let this slip by. Guest reviewers, could you PLEASE get actual accounts if you want me to respond?**_

' _Did you read dragon ball R, it's basically your story, but its way better, because unlike this story, Salem is outclassed by Frieza, and Frieza pretty much turns the white fang into the Frieza force and orders Adam to kill all of Menegarie, get owned Remnant, your pretty much a planet that holds Garbage tier characters and is possibly forsakened by the universe.'_

 _ **Holy crap, punctuation plz. You can use more than one period per paragraph you know?**_

 _ **I've read SOME Dragonball R, enough to answer this post anyway. That sucker is LONG though. I've said it before, but credit to the writer for being WAY faster than me without his format, spelling or grammar suffering for it.**_

 _ **DBR is "way better" BECAUSE Salem is outclassed by Frieza? I don't see how those logically track. I can see that as your PREFERENCE. And really, Frieza and Salem have yet to meet in this story, so how do you know?**_

 _ **I'll tell you this much: Salem cannot physically contend with Frieza. She lacks the raw power for that. But even if this were CANON Salem, she'd be immortal, right? So she wouldn't have cause to fear him either. Frieza would be an inconvenient new player… unless she plays her cards right.**_

 _ **Personally I didn't really like how utterly demoralized Salem was left in DBR after a mere facetime conversation with Frieza, to the point of sweating and totally losing her composure. I don't necessarily disagree with a take on Salem and Frieza where Salem is outclassed but doesn't quite comprehend that fact, and remains stoic and unimpressed until she learns the hard way… but her practically collapsing in fear? All while Tyrian foolishly subverts her command and orders the Seer to attack?**_

 _ **I get the POINT is to totally deflate their menace, but… doesn't that just come off disrespectful? Like you're saying these antagonists are kid stuff that deserve no dignity?**_

 _ **I don't much like that kind of preferential treatment myself.**_

 _ **And Adam kills all Menagerie? A CONTINENT? Because Menagerie isn't JUST Kuo Kuana, you realize?**_

 _ **I haven't read this part, so I lack context. Is it a loyalty test thing? Like, "prove to me your unfailing allegiance, by destroying the very race you once fought for, and I'll let you live as my underling!" or something?**_

 _ **Either way, didn't Frieza ALREADY destroy a Kingdom just to make a point? What's his plan? Even Frieza usually has a VAGUE reason to systematically kill people, he can't just be culling the population just because or he'd blow the planet and be out. Maybe it's to guilt and pressure the Z Fighters out of hiding?**_

 _ **But the last of your review pretty much confirms you prefer a "dunk on RWBY" story… and you're right, this story doesn't do that, because it respects both series. And I won't apologize for that.**_


	11. The Battle of Haven

Adam Taurus and his fellow White Fang stormed off the bullhead hovering beside one of Haven's ledges. Almost as soon as they had, gunfire from distant police airships strafed the craft, which rolled against the cliff with a rocky crunch before plummeting out of sight.

The other ships had mostly crash landed in their haste and with Haven's small amount of open space. The quad was occupied by some in-progress skirmish that despite its size had already all but leveled two buildings. Adam referenced the holographic map on his scroll. "This way," he ordered with a motion, skirting the railed cliffs. "Demo squad with me, the rest of you draw them away from the understructure until we're done. _Give them nothing left to cling to! And take what you've EARNED TEN TIMES OVER!"_

Even as they cheered and sought their duty, Adam felt the apprehension that ran through his men. The fires of war would weed out the cowardly… he needn't be bothered.

They descended the steps, a precariously steep path leading to a bare steel access catwalk. Black and yellow lined the rough grip-pattern steel, promising high winds and demanding caution. It rattled once they reached the bottom, suspended from the ceiling that represented the bulk of Haven Academy itself, bridging the two mountains with an arch of reinforced metal and stone.

The catwalks hugged the arches, in numerous directions. "Fan out!" Adam ordered. "Double check the schematic for the charges. We only have one shot at this."

A girl with panda ears nodded, tucking a can-shaped device between two vertical girders, hitting a button twisting a rotary switch before pulling it into an extended position. The device primed.

* * *

Ruby, Weiss and Nora rounded the corner to a confounding sight. What before had been a rather simple two on two fight had escalated into a desperate out and out assault brawl.

"Jumpin' Jehosaphat…!" Nora exclaimed.

"I dunno what that… _wow,"_ Ruby added, transfixed as some stoic, bronze hulk of a man swiped Jaune's legs out from under him and had begun using him as a flail against Ren, who evaded with a constant stream of apologies. Team SSSN had formed a three-man phalanx as Mercury Black circled them, probing it for weaknesses while dozens of White Fang were being kept at bay wholly by Oscar Pine, whose eyes bore the focus of centuries.

But half embedded in a shrub along the main building, still and bedraggled was—

" _Uncle Qrow!"_ Ruby gasped, rushing over as fast as her legs could carry her. She extracted him from the shrub and set him on his back, grateful to hear a groan from the man as the others finally caught up.

"He's here too?" Weiss wondered, still wrapping her head around their situation.

"Is he…?" Nora broached.

"He's okay," Ruby answered with a sigh.

"So who…?" Nora asked.

Ruby's eyes narrowed at the question.

" _You won't give me the fight I want? FINE… We'll just take a minute before going to see dear Qrow."_

The words echoed in Ruby's memory, and she felt herself _shaking. "Cinder,"_ she spat, cycling her bolt action. "She didn't know where I went, so she tried beating answers out of him…"

She couldn't help it; her teeth were gnashing. Cinder was _so_ determined to hurt the people she _loved._ "I don't care _how_ powerful she is. We're stopping her!"

Before anyone could say anything, she literally stormed over to Oscar, whirling until Crescent Rose snapped back and she stabbed it beneath her into the stony floor. Her momentum flung her horizontal to the floor as she held to the scythe's staff. Seeing this, Oscar smirked and rooted himself as his staff planted down, just before a storm of wind and rose petals swept in her wake.

The White Fang closing in were blasted back, clutching at stone and grabbing lamp posts, otherwise being shoved to the furthest corners like lint in a tumble dryer. Ruby dismounted, landing on her feet as Weiss and Nora brought up the rear.

"Miss Rose!" Oscar exclaimed, standing back up. "When Cinder began her assault, I must admit I feared the worst for y—"

Oscar stopped, looking past Ruby to the former heiress. "Miss Schnee? Will wonders ever cease…"

Weiss blinked. "I-I'm sorry… have we met…?"

"Ah, of course," Oscar muttered. "There's no time, but…"

Nora stepped closer. "Remember what I said? Meet little boy Ozpin!"

"...What?"

"There's no time!" Ruby insisted. "Professor, where do you need us?"

"With Qrow incapacitated, Sustrai has been running roughshod over anyone approaching the Hall, and our newcomer is someone I need to handle myself."

Ruby nodded. "So some of us need to ward off the White Fang, and at least one of us needs to distract Emerald."

"I'll do it," Weiss offered.

Nora and Ruby looked at each other.

"Weiss, you sure?" Ruby asked. "Emerald's semblance makes you see things when she's looking at you; Nora and I could _just_ take her together."

" _I've_ learned some tricks of my own," Weiss told her with a grin, a glyph dancing over her palm.

"Very well," Ozpin said, staff flourishing. "Godspeed, children. Miss Schnee?"

Ruby and Nora squared up as the White Fang advanced, Weiss and Ozpin racing off.

"You guys have picked a _really_ bad time to mess with me," Ruby hissed, meeting their hidden eyes with a glare all her own.

* * *

Gohan could feel it. Vegeta was going to come-to at any moment, and the child of two worlds would be hard pressed to keep him off the warpath. Any wrong word or challenge and he might provoke a wrath fit to consume his new friends in it. He could sense them, wading back into the fray. He hoped they would be alright…

"Hey! We got some over here!" a woman's voice called across the yard.

Gohan cursed himself being so easily surprised. _What would Mister Piccolo say to that?_

The woman wore a sort of mask Gohan had never seen before, a white uniform with a red emblem of a tiger's head with claw marks raked across it. The woman herself had porcine ears and a matching tail. Behind her, several others in the same garb swarmed the vicinity, weapons drawn lazily.

"Good work!" said the next, a man with the long ears of a horse. "They'll make perfect hostages; this should buy us all the time we need!"

Gohan felt a surge of humor and sympathy for them as he took a step forward. "Back off while you're still standing," he ordered. "And give this thing up while you're at it."

The pig-lady smiled as she stepped towards the boy, entirely unmoved. "And who's going to make us, small fry, y—?"

Her words died in her mouth as a golden ray shot through her chest. The world froze as the faunus' eyes lost focus in a haunting show of surprise, but at last it did cease, and she collapsed to her knees and further.

Gohan beheld her body in shock as one of the other faunus cried her name. Twisting around, Gohan found Vegeta, barely leaning on an ebow with his fingers outstretched and smoking. "Vegeta, _don't!"_

But the others had already begun spraying fire in a panic. Gohan vanished as he darted out if the way, Vegeta groaning as the lead bounced off of him and he adjusted his aim. This time he fired a wider projection of blinding power, such that its victim was struck at once and then screamed as he was immolated by it. The hopeless fighter was left a twisted, ashen husk, steam billowing off. After this, the survivors fled, scrambling over each other to escape Vegeta's field of vision.

Gohan approached cautiously as Vegeta struggled to stand, and got as far as kneeling before the boy reached him. Though it seemed coming within arm's reach of the prince was as still unwise.

" _Au-aughh…!"_ Gohan yelped, as Vegeta took a sudden swipe and grabbed a fistful of his hair by the root, threatening to lift him by it.

"The… _woman…!"_ Vegeta managed, still shaken. "Where… _where is she?_ How does she possess this kind of _power…?!"_

"W-we tried… auugh… to _warn_ you…!" Gohan groaned. "She's a _Maiden,_ she has magic…! You didn't raise your power enough…!"

This answer only appeared to frustrate him further, and Gohan felt hairs part from his scalp as the Saiyan's grip redoubled. "And the girl I was with…?! Where is she?!"

"Off fighting! ...They checked on you before running out! _Oof!"_ Gohan cried as Vegeta released him roughly, stumbling as the man struggled to his feet.

"Why…" Vegeta groaned, shaking as he stood, "...I feel _strange…!_ My body is unharmed, but I…"

Gohan pondered. That _was_ odd. "I haven't had this Aura unlocked very long, but _yours_ broke from Cinder's attack! If your body's never regenerated that barrier before…"

"...So you're saying I just need to acclimate… _Fine…_ Are there any _other_ magical _sows_ floating around?"

"No, just the Professor, and he's on _our_ side."

Vegeta scoffed. _"Our_ side… You take a lot for granted, kid."

Gohan stopped dead for a second. Then he stepped in front of Vegeta, arms out.

The Prince growled. "What are you…?!"

"I have friends out there who want to help us! I'm not letting you just blast everyone you see!"

"Hmph! As if these rubes wouldn't be entirely helpless against Frieza, you little fool. Here's a counter-proposal: stay out of my way, and _maybe_ I'll second guess my targets!"

Gohan stood his ground. "If Weiss hadn't unlocked your Aura like Ruby did for me, _you_ could be dead!"

Vegeta grunted, glowering at the suggestion.

"These guys know things about energy that could help u—"

"Enough blathering!" Vegeta demanded, throwing a sudden jab which put Gohan — surprisingly lightly— on his back. The Prince walked shakily past him. "Keep up if you want _any_ say in who walks out of this…"

Mere moments later, Vegeta stumbled, catching himself with the side of a building… which he then limply punched in his frustration. The structure wobbled as his fist sunk in, obliterating material. Dust sprinkled as cracks wormed their way out from the point of impact. Gohan watched after him as he continued, somewhat ungainly of gait. The half Saiyan got to his feet. Somehow, Vegeta as an ally was even more frustrating and difficult to read than as a foe.

* * *

Emerald's red eyes fanned across the crowd to find Mercury. She'd been hanging back to assist, as her partner scarcely needed help with the trio that had arrived earlier, and Hazel had been… frustrating.

Despite the help she was providing, gift wrapping an easy kill, the brute was acting more like a bouncer. He denied the kid with the sword and his dual-wielding friend entry, but seemed wholly unconcerned with putting them out of the way. Apart from their explicit orders, Cinder had always been consistent and practical: _Do they hold strategic value alive?_ _Will their absence compromise you? No? Then snuff them before you get the same…_

Perhaps by design, Salem left the others in their gang to themselves, rarely interacting or cooperating. If it wasn't relevant to their task, it wasn't disclosed, so she could only wonder why a lamb-heart like Hazel was—

She saw it in the corner of her eye, storming from the left. A _boarbatusk_ , its body low as it charged, ragged-looking and… stark white…?"

She fired both ends of her khopesh at the beast without another thought. One glanced off its eponymous tusks, but the second sank right between the eyes, the beast squealing as its weight fell dead onto its chin and slid with its remaining momentum.

Emerald's mind raced to process the impossibility of what had just happened as she began retracting her blades, but in her peripheral vision she went numb as she saw something growing larger and larger from the crowd, barely twisting to guard with the handles alone.

' _*SHING…*'_

Emerald ducked low as silver steel narrowly passed over her head as she leaned back. The long, thin edge had found a chain loop in both khopesh and passed through; she couldn't retract her blades, but nor could her attacker gore her like this. With that, as she struggled, she followed the gleaming metal to its holder. She found eyes of a glacial blue, and a tail of platinum hair. Emerald Sustrai's eyebrows shot up, and she only managed a grunt of _"You…!"_

Even as she struggled, the other girl smirked at her.

 _The Heiress?! But that was impossible! The brats had been all but separated! Old man Schnee had carted her off himself, they'd been certain! With the CCT out, Rose and her little renegades couldn't have arranged for her to meet here, and Atlas was under lockdown!_

"I know white is my _theming,"_ Weiss began, dust hissing as her blade began to smoke, "and back home we don't get much sun… but I'm no _ghost._ So wipe that dumb look off your face."

Emerald saw Schnee's ploy as her blade began to glow red. She was fixing to weaken and snap her chains right off!

Weiss saw Emerald sneer at her, as a black swarm of skittering little legs emerged suddenly from behind Emerald's back, arachnid bodies climbing over the chains like ants and darkening her blade with their numbers as they made for her wrist with preternatural speed.

A black glyph formed in front of Weiss as she recoiled, before it swelled red and launched a surprised Emerald into the adjacent wall, her Myrtenaster and accompanied khopesh with it. The rapier had shot high, embedded firmly into the wall. Even the dangling, swinging khopesh blades were well out of immediate reach as Emerald sprung back up to face Weiss.

The young assassin glanced around to see their weapons, herself standing between them and the former heiress. She gave the younger girl a wicked grin. "That's tough luck, Old-Money," she laughed.

Weiss didn't answer, only taking a pugilist stance. Emerald only burst out laughing still harder.

"Girly, _I_ grew up on the streets," she told Weiss, hands raising beside her face in a boxing stance. "You're gonna regretyou invited _this…"_

"A Huntress' whole body is a weapon," Weiss warned, before a glyph appeared beneath her as she charged in.

But Emerald vanished, revealing herself only to seize Weiss' ponytail as she passed by. Weiss shrieked as her own momentum pulled her hair taut, tugging at her scalp in an instant of agonizing pain, made worse still when Emerald pulled hard enough to throw her heavy onto her back.

Weiss couldn't help it, reaching with both hands to clutch the source of her pain as a weight settled suddenly on her stomach. Her squeezing eyes forced open to see Emerald straddling her. With a _crack_ and a _thwack,_ Weiss felt the quick jabs to her jaw and temple as red-hot blasts to her senses, only dulled by her aura.

"Aw, sorry about that… I've just got a few issues to work through with you. Was never a fan of all those girls who grew up with everything… A mom…"

Weiss thought she saw a quiver in her lip before lights popped in her eyes as she was struck in the cheek.

"...A dad…"

Knuckles slammed against her brow.

"So let's see which I break first," Emerald suggested, "your Aura, or your scrawny _nec— "_

But Emerald's wrists were suddenly engulfed by small twin glyphs, and her arms were dragged back as though by shackles.

"You don't know much about my family, do you?"

With this opening, Weiss slipped her legs back from underneath, rearing back into a twin kick to Emerald's ribs.

Emerald fell back several feet, and both girls scrambled back up, Emerald clutching her gut. "Damn it…! I guess there had to be _some_ advantage to fighting in heels, eh princess?"

"Well I'm not terribly tall, so it helps when I'm taking out the _trash."_

Emerald growled, and both leapt for each other.

* * *

Oscar stormed up to the gigantic man as he tossed Lie Ren into a sprinting Jaune Arc, bowling them all over. "This time, stay down," the nephilim ordered. "You're only worsening a bad situation."

"And you'd know nothing of that, would you Reinhardt?"

Hazel turned to see the dark brown haired boy approaching, a flicker of familiarity in his eyes. "Think you know me, boy? I'd choose my next words carefully."

"Given where you stand, it's not I that must answer to _you,_ Hazel," Oscar said, measuring every step. "Yes, I knew you… in another life."

Oscar, taking a backseat as Ozpin handled the present carnage, was certain the man recognized him from the station before coming to Mistral… but now it was different. Hazel's eyes flitted between his own and the cane in his hands, and Oscar felt a chill as an almost imperceptible change darkened the man's face.

" _So…"_ Hazel hissed, knuckles creaking as they clenched at his side, "another soul, already consumed. This is sooner than she said… Ozpin…"

The old mage tapped the floor with his cane. "Differently from what you think, I control neither the time, place, nor the subject of my reincarnation. In this instance however, I suspect my distress over the state I left our world in might have influenced it somehow. _Had_ I that power, I might have left this world long ago."

"Spare me your vacant regrets," Hazel demanded, lips thinned. "We both know what you're willing to do when backs have turned to you..."

Ozpin sighed. "If you still don't see things as they are after all this time in her employ, I doubt if you ever will…"

Ozpin closed the distance in a flash, whirling around to aim for Hazel's knees, only to be blocked by a massive forearm. Its twin pistoned at the boy from above, striking the floor with a dusty slam as he leapt to eye-level to deliver a discombobulating blow to the forehead with the cane's broad tip.

Ozpin prepared a followup, but an enormous hand shot in out of nowhere and grabbed Oscar around the ribs _. "Guh…!"_

The other hand quickly followed suit, and Hazel made to crush the boy with his bare hands as he struggled.

"I see what _is,_ old man," Hazel growled, redoubling his grip. "I know Salem's aims in forging a new world…"

Ozpin choked as he tried to move Oscar's arms in any way. To wedge the black bar between the giant's iron fingers, _anything…_

" _Both_ of you are monsters, and _employ_ monsters… But Salem at least admits it… Salem will at least _use_ the power _you_ horde and not cower in fear of it. I can do more to protect humanity at the Devil's right hand than you and your Huntsmen ever had the _will_ to, wrapped in a banner of piety…"

"Y-you…" Ozpin groaned as the great hands squeezed, " _...know_ it was the very group you serve who assaulted Mountain Glenn…! ... _Urk…_ _She_ is to blame for your loss…"

Within, Oscar sifted through foreign memories. Mountain Glen: a failing expansion of Vale, connected to the great city only by subterranean trains. The surface, overtaken by Grimm. The settlers tried to hold what remained in the safety of the enormous cave system, but one day an explosion let the beasts in to a massacre… but Oscar quickly realized there was far more to that tale.

Hazel's grip found a way to tighten ever stronger, as to knock the wind out of the boy. The cane fell from his hands. _"No…!_ I was _there!_ A dedicated Huntsman effort could have _routed_ the Grimm. _She_ set a distraction to draw you away. _YOU_ pulled your little club out to safeguard your precious RELIC! Myself among them, subdued and dragged away from a fight worth dying for…!"

At that moment, Oscar glowed, and a sphere of power expanded from him. Hazel couldn't keep his grip and his hands flew away, staggering backward as Ozpin retrieved the cane and rolled behind the giant. A spinning strike to the back of his knee brought him to a kneel, and Oscar ran up his back to grab both ends of his weapon and choke it under his chin.

"To surrender a Relic to Salem is to sacrifice _ten_ Mountain Glens," Ozpin countered, ducking the huge hands reaching for him between working to pry the bar off his neck.

"Y-your Relic was _safe…!"_ Hazel gasped. "You _knew_ that…! _She_ knew nothing about your defenses, or their ties to the Maidens… let alone, how to penetrate them…! You sealed my family in that tomb for _NOTHING!"_

Hazel finally muscled the cane away, boy and all, flinging him into the floor to skid towards the recovered Jaune and Ren. Oscar too, apart from getting blasts of the impact on his body, took a heavy hit.

' _Ozpin… you let his…?'_

"Many families have lived and died as a result of my actions," Ozpin said, answering both parties, "and one day I am certain to answer to them all. It's easy in hindsight to know the right course to take, but no… I _couldn't_ be certain my trust had been kept. I _couldn't_ be certain that a captive Fall Maiden _wasn't_ breaching my measures of protection. To pronounce certainty is to prompt the inevitability of failure."

"More words," Hazel growled, sizing up his three opponents, "as remorseless and empty as the gestalt that is your soul…" He reached into his satchels, pulling out red and blue crystals with razor-sharp tips.

"Dust…" Ren noted idly.

"Professor," Jaune said, "do we even stand a chance with this guy?"

Hazel took a breath, and plunged the needle-like crystals into his biceps with a roar, frost covering his left and flames dancing across his right.

Even Ozpin's eyebrows raised. "His semblance makes him immovable… and besides that he has an _incredible_ threshold for pain. Don't think you can unseat him easily; only destabilize him by his own hands."

They squared up to the hulking man, who stalked towards them in kind. "Ever beguiling the ignorant to a pointless cause…"

* * *

The wind howled as Adam Rounded another corner of the labyrinthine catwalk, passing another colossal brace as thick as a redwood. His demo expert planted another charge. Haven itself was a marvel of engineering, but a large part of it was a lie. The school had largely been constructed in the valley as an enormous hovering barge, simply floated into position and locked into the foundations built into the mountains.

And indeed, for all its grandeur it hadn't been designed to hold its own weight indefinitely. The dust-based anti gravity stabilizers did the brunt of the work. And Adam Taurus had it on good authority that they had been quietly disabled for months…

Indeed, the signs of strain were evident to a watchful eye. Discoloration at stress points, cracks in the paint. Tresses sagged ever so slightly. Nothing less than a directed military attack could have brought Haven down, but with a little help from their new friends, it would be the White Fang credited. The human scum would be scratching their heads as they wept, and the mystique of the White Fang would only strengthen! Even Atlas would fear them now.

The wind this high whistled strangely through gaps in the structure… sometimes it even sounded like…

No, Adam turned out away from the city. It _was_ the high whine of a bullhead he was hearing. The city guns turned on it as it wove through.

His team turned to him. "Reinforcements?" one asked.

Adam looked closer. The bullhead was spewing a black trail behind it, damaged perhaps.

Adam's arm reached for his hilt. _"Blake…"_

* * *

" _Why are they shooting at us?!"_

"They don't know we're _not_ the White Fang, Sun!"

"I thought you said this thing was _fast_ now!"

" _Watch_ it, _Kill-meleon_ , I did the best I could getting it airborne, let alone dirty-tuning the engines to catch up!" Bulma snapped back at Ilia, corkscrewing to dodge the snapping turret fire as the others held on for dear life. "She's barely holding together as it is, _improving the aerodynamics_ isn't like rotating your tires! NOW WHERE THE HELL ARE WE GOING?!"

Indeed, Bulma's death grip on the stick wasn't helped by staring baffled at the mountain city and its huge arched villa bridging the peaks.

"Uh, yeah… where do we _land?"_ Sun asked. "There's the quad up top but—"

"That'll take too long, Adam's targeting the supports! Get us close and we'll bail!"

Bulma's teeth gnashed. "Oh, _sure!_ Because all _my_ stuff is disposable!"

"Please, this isn't the time—"

"I didn't say _'no,'_ did I?" Bulma shot back, flipping a few ceiling switches as they narrowed in on the Academy. "Hold on to your hackles and try not to black-out!"

With no other warning, the bullhead's pivoting jets rattled as she engaged reverse thrust in one and overcharged the other, violently spinning them around even as they bombed towards their target behind them. Sun and Ilia, neither strapped in, swung freely from the ceiling grips as they cried out.

Satisfied, Bulma hit the maximum thrust on both engines, effectively giving them a retrograde burn against their enormous speed and steadily braking them. It was barely enough to keep the craft from disintegrating on impact as the tapered jets and tail looped through gaps in the catwalk railings and brought it all to a sudden, neck breaking halt, the steel bowing and crumpling with a horrific shriek. Parts of the fuselage crimped like a can. The starboard jet burst its railing like it were an overstretched rubber band.

" _The hell are you, INSANE?!"_ Ilia cried, holding onto Sun's hand alone as she dangled out the port side over the chasm.

"Ask for genius, don't expect a norma—"

" _We need to go!"_ Blake said from the copilot seat, unbuckling and dragging Bulma along with her as the catwalk creaked. Sun swung Ilia up a level, then bounding himself up partway with his hands steepled. A pair of golden duplicates shot up, linked arm in arm to swing him up.

No sooner had they managed this than the bullhead, engines still smoking, finally buckled and fell. The city guns trained on it, waiting for it to clear unintended targets before lighting up, the craft flashing before they all heard a distant 'pop' echo up from the canyon.

Ilia sighed. "No choice now. I'm going after those bombs, I know where they'll focus on."

"I'll help you," Bulma declared.

Ilia's brows raised. "You know how to disarm a _bomb?"_

Bulma scoffed. _"Please,_ any idiot with a layman's grasp of circuitry can wire explosives to a radio transmitter. _I_ make robots and spaceships in my free time."

"Weird flex… but okay!" Sun obliged with a thumbs-up… which Blake grabbed as she hurried him on.

"Whoa, where are _you_ going?" Ilia asked.

Blake took a breath. "Adam can't come back here and interfere. We're _stopping_ him."

"Wha— Wait, _hold on!"_ Bulma shouted. "On your own?! That didn't go so well last time!"

Blake closed her eyes, and smiled. "No, but as I remember… a clever woman armed with just a _dynocap_ sent him reeling… You give me courage, Bulma."

Ilia subtly rolled her eyes, mouthing _"Gross…"_

Bulma's cheeks flushed. "Likewise… Give him hell, you two!"

Blake nodded, turning with Sun on her tail and racing off.

"So what do _I_ give you?" Sun inquired.

Blake grinned puckishly. _"Headaches."_

"Oh come ooooon…"

* * *

Cinder and Raven crossed blades, hate in eyes of red and gold. Hate borne of bloodshed, and hate borne of _fear._

" _BRING IT BACK!"_ Cinder demanded, a jet of flame spouting from her heel as she tried to work in a low jab. Raven spun backwards to avoid it, slicing up to catch her and send her sailing across the hall.

Cinder recovered with a whirl and summoned her bow, three black arrows primed in an instant. She fired them wide, landing yards from Raven who didn't even need to dodge.

There was an unearthly shriek, a red rune glowing beneath Raven as large as Cinder's arrows spread.

Cinder landed on the second tier of the hall just as her rune sent a towering plume of fire and threw broken tile into the air.

She barely saw something dash across the ceiling before another something landed behind her.

She twisted, summoning her fiery blade just in time to lock with Raven's, but her hand was already on Cinder's throat. The bandit bent her back over the lacquered railing, the crimson, flaming tearsign of the Maidens ablaze by her eyes. Their blades sparked as they struggled.

"Come on, you can do better than _that!"_ Raven hissed. "Oh wait… you _can't…_ Because you kill _me,_ Salem loses her Relic!"

Cinder slowly fought back, gaining ground. But Raven still had an upper hand, in both senses.

"But _I_ can kill _YOU!"_

A raw flame combusted from her palm like a match in gas fumes, splintering the railing as Cinder was thrown into the floor with an impact that left a crater in the tile even as she bounced off it. The Fall Maiden barely looked up to see her foil already above her, sword drawn, Raven's own feet of flame jetting her to intercept Cinder at the next bounce and stick her to the floor like a swallowtail in a butterfly collection...

Instead, Cinder's Grimm arm shot out to catch her around the throat, carrying Raven into the distant ceiling and embedding her there with a woody smash. Raven stirred from the bizarre attack, throttled, and prepared to cleave the overlong limb, but a recovered Cinder pulled the slack and dragged her back down faster than gravity to smash into the floor with a glassy tinkling … then left into the railing of the stairs...

Before Raven could be dragged further, she gained a grip of the stygian claw and her eyes burned blue as lightning ran up the limb to its owner who howled in rage and pain.

Freed, Raven owned her momentum, landing against the huge exterior doors and kicking off directly at her prey with a whirl of flame in her palm. Cinder shook herself as she prepared much of the same, stepping forward to meet Raven's charge…

* * *

Weiss leapt back as Emerald advanced with a smirk, her arms suddenly splitting to possess three on each side like a six-armed goddess. _Another illusion._

Beneath herself, she formed a gilded glyph like a clock with Roman numerals, leaving her a partial blur as she erupted towards Emerald, zipping past her to plant on another glyph and launch back, becoming a human pinball as she repeated with every pass.

Admittedly, Weiss was less at home using her hands alone, though this was old hat to her heeled feet. And indeed, she was mainly attacking with kicks at each pass. She caught Emerald once or twice, but the bronze goddess was giving as good as she got, one of those six arms clipping her along the head and neck.

But Emerald seemed to tire of this, clotheslining Weiss out of nowhere and leaving her to slide and tumble over the stone against one of the many hedge planters.

"I was just fighting your speedster earlier," Emerald told her, "you think I'm not prepared for a trick like that?"

Weiss had an idea. Before standing back up, she left something beside the planter.

Emerald didn't wait, charging her and forcing Weiss to vault over the hedge as she came in with her illusory arms.

Weiss formed glyphs as broad shields to block her incoming blows, but it wouldn't last, she'd find an opening. Even now, watching carefully, she couldn't see which of Emerald's arms were dealing the hits…

' _...We forgo physical bonds, and send senses and commands with our living energy alone. My senses, my speed, my strength… wholly undetermined by flesh and bone…'_

Weiss felt stupid considering it, but this would have to pay off _some_ time… She closed her eyes…

"The hell!" Emerald remarked, instantly sneaking in a gut shot, and setting her eyes on Weiss' jaw. "You nod off in this, you'll end up—"

Weiss wasn't sure what she'd just felt, but in that instant _something_ in her knew what was coming, where Emerald was, and she barely considered it before her body played it out.

She caught the fist shooting out at her jaw, and when the thief brought her other limb in at her kidney, her forearm blocked it. Weiss opened her eyes.

Emerald's face was priceless, but even better, the former heiress noticed she was holding off two limbs apparently made of air. The godlike arms had been _entirely_ an illusion, hiding her _true_ movements with decoys and pretending one of them was real.

This moment of clarity, listening at the door to Vegeta's world, vanished as quickly as it came. It was, however, enough for her plan to reach fruition.

" _Auck!"_

Emerald's legs gave way as a small gleaming sword swung into it like a lumberjack, the mini-Gigas she summoned on the sly its wielder.

So staggered, Weiss twisted both arms, pivoting Emerald on her struck leg around and leaving her kneeling as Weiss delivered a staggering kick to the base of her neck.

Cinder's student went skidding into the wall, hand clutching the back of her head with an enraged groan as she returned to her feet, the mini Gigas already charging her position. In a fit of rage however, she merely punted the small soldier, dispelling it even as it sailed through the air. She stared up to their dangling weapons…

Weiss saw it and reacted, leaping upon a platform glyph and again to one of the khopesh as Emerald grabbed another herself. In a flash they clashed with the blades on a pendulum and backed off each other. With the chain in their off-hand and each suspended by Myrtenaster high on the wall, it was as though each fighter were hands on a great clock, at five and seven respectively with their feet planted against the wall.

Emerald grinned maliciously, letting her blade dangle and slowly spinning it on its chain. "Think you're gonna lay me out with my own weapon? You're a crap tactician, aiming for all my strong points."

Weiss flipped her blade's edge in her left. "And yet _you're_ the one who went for your weapon first."

Emerald made the first move, sprinting at her a few paces before kicking off the wall and swinging in an arc over her head where their blades met as she passed. The master thief landed on her other side and closed in on the pendulum center as she gathered more slack, gaining some distance before lashing out with her length of chain like a whip.

Losing the advantage of range, Weiss retreated, running up the wall to nine-o'clock past a window… which promptly exploded.

Indeed, Weiss looked back to see flames spurting from the Hall windows and took care to peer inside as she passed twelve. She couldn't tell what, but _something_ serious was going down inside Haven Hall, and it was threatening to incur upon their fight. Wasn't _Cinder_ the only one inside?

Once she'd stared back down, she saw an Emerald for every hour on the clock running up at her… _perfect._

Crossing _literal_ high noon at twelve, Weiss kicked off and leapt forward, swinging down on the pendulum and _through_ three Emeralds before the fourth was caught by Weiss' chain on the way down.

With the master thief falling, she also became the new hinge-point for Weiss' swing, flinging her the opposite way.

Both tumbled, the young Huntress holding firm as the chains whipped through the air, but at last they became taut, and she stared up to anticipate her foe's next move. She _gasped._

Emerald had been tangled up in the chains. Weiss' weight from the khopesh she clung to had wrapped around her waist and pinned one hand against it. _The other had formed a noose._

Cinder's servant choked, her one free hand scrabbling against the chains strangling her, feet useless as Weiss straightened them with her dead weight alone. The girl of white froze for all of a few seconds… and then formed a glyph over Myrtenaster.

The blade flew out, Weiss catching it as the chains and their captor hit the ground with a wheeze like a sack of potatoes and began a piteous coughing fit. But she refused to drop her guard, sword held at the ready.

"Y-y-you… had me dead to r-ights," Emerald noted, utterly perplexed that she was on solid ground, breathing freely. "You little _fool…_ Why?!"

"Not _everyone_ is a remorseless killer," Weiss answered.

"Y-yes they _are…"_ Emerald spat, struggling to free herself.

Weiss stood stunned a moment, before summoning a glyph. "Hmm… you're right," she said, the chains snaking to life.

" _No! W-WAI…"_

But she went silent again as she realized she'd been hogtied, hands and feet. She stared up to see Weiss smiling confidently. "Relax, that was a joke. I'm a Huntress… not a psycho. We protect the people… even helpless reprobates that might not deserve it."

" _I am NOT… helpless!"_ Emerald protested, squirming against the chains of her own weapon, utterly humiliated. "Cinder will come back!"

* * *

Cinder and Raven ran along opposite walls, fire and ice blasts meeting in the center of the room and forming a haze of blue and orange. She kicked off and landed on the floor in a flash of movement that cracked the tile, throwing her hands forward and unleashing another crimson beam that sizzled the air around it.

Raven leapt from the wall into the beam head-on, unleashing a well of blue power all her own as she did, scattering Cinder's blast in arcane sparks like a hose loosed upon stone.

Both grunted with the strain as they reached equilibrium, the focus of their blasts a blinding, seething swirl of light. Unable to press on, gusts of air howled from beneath Raven's feet, forcing her closer. Cinder, even rooted as she was, began to slide back over the smooth floor.

" _So…!"_ Cinder began, grunting vocally even though her voice box didn't. _"I doubt someone like you was chosen for your virtue! How long did it take to hunt her down?"_

Raven growled with the exertion. "Quiet! You don't know what you're talking about!"

" _C-come now! I'm just making conversation! We have LOTS in common!"_ the Rogue Maiden argued, even as her back hit a pillar and Raven proceeded closer, eldritch embers from their clash spraying into a disc between them that even cut through the floor.

"M-my reasons have _nothing_ in common with _yours,_ you _wretch!"_ Raven spat, closing in. "I didn't assume Spring's role for _power!"_

The beams had been reduced to twin spheres of power as they stared into each other's eyes, forcing themselves forward until the coalescing energies merged.

The resulting flash would have projected out the windows on a clear summer's day had the follow-up blast not shattered them all instantly. Cinder was blown though the pillar into the oaken wall and Raven was hurled to the opposite. Not even the limp form of Vernal was spared but to be swept against the intricate mouldings like so much detritus. Apart from the sturdy staircase, the second tier as a whole collapsed, burying Cinder and buckling in time for a reeling Raven to slide down the angled deck and roll into the floor.

Raven was the first to stand. "A-a powerful ally, perhaps, but she was a proper inductee of the Tribe, not some sack of magic to be leeched!"

The only answer was a flaming, curved blade Cinder's own size piercing the deck on her side, a single swipe splitting it before the wood turned ashen and blasted out into what could barely be called splinters. The Fall Maiden stepped out, handily hefting the monstrous weapon in two hands. _"So you say, beset by your conscience… a thing I have worked tirelessly to overcome… and yet it's you standing there, and not her. I bet it just EATS at you inside."_

Raven glared, hands hovering before her as ice swirled in from the ether to forge a twelve-foot odachi, which she grasped readily. "Not everyone is _a hollow sadist."_

Cinder's blade reared back, readied. She scoffed. _"Yes they are…"_

A sliding stomp of her foot, and a wave of flame swept across the floor, the haze heat only obscuring the Spring Maiden as she stormed over it, feet jetting twin blasts of air.

Similar spouts of flame launched Cinder at her, the massive blades glancing off the other as both fighters overshot. But a quick shift of their feet and they skid into a spiral, trailing helixes behind them as they climbed towards the ceiling. A block, offhand on the flat of the blade. A parry. A subsequent weave away from the riposte.

Both of them twisted to plant their feet against the ceiling, and Cinder had met this with an overhead chop that Raven had no choice but to block and absorb the impact, even as it rattled the walls. Caught high, Raven seized the opportunity, throwing her weight into bucking the blade away. She reared back with all speed to gut the one-eyed harpy.

But Cinder's stagger was a little _too_ dramatic, a foot lifting high. Her heels were made of obsidian, but glass was glass…

Raven lost her —admittedly dubious— footing as the point of Cinder's heel extended suddenly like a nightstick, threatening to put her eyes out. Cinder whirled, her cast-off blade swinging the rest of the way around to catch Raven in a slash from below. The bandit's Aura flickered and flashed, but held as she flew back.

It had all occurred so fast, gravity couldn't wake up fast enough to deter all of this as they remained against the ceiling. A fact unhelpful to Raven, too fixated upon her foe as she tumbled to find herself just beneath a sizzling trap rune.

It exploded with the same unearthly scream, blasting Raven off to fall the full height to the top of the stairs and the secret lift hiding the Vault. The stone cracked, fragments of ceiling falling after her even as she turned to find her foe. And indeed, Cinder was diving after her, ready to skewer her against the floor. With a shove of Raven's palm, she summoned a blast of air to push herself back against the railing.

Cinder missed, but hit the marble structure with crushing force. The Fuku statue's burden was ended as her sky fell at last, the elevator and all its clockwork mechanics imploding from an artful wonder to mere debris as the two fighters plummeted into the winding darkness toward the secret Vault.

* * *

Blake and Sun raced down the catwalks, light footed as they could, but it was unlikely to matter as the steel shook with their movements. Adam would almost certainly know she was coming; surprise wasn't on their side.

They passed an anomaly in the school, a pipe thick enough to run a train through, slanting down alongside the structure to vanish into the mountain.

No sooner had Blake noted this than it rattled, louder and louder. First a ringing clatter, like sand against a bell.

" _WHOA!"_ Sun cried as they leapt back against the railing, something huge and blue emerging through the steel at speed and carving a gash in the pipe the length of a bus, and even splitting through the nearest railing and platform of the catwalk they stood on. It all shook itself into silence, the damage the only sign left of the bizarre event.

"What the hell was that?!" Sun demanded, deciding it was safe to peer over again. "Did the White Fang do that?"

Blake shook her head, eyes fixed on it. "I… have no idea. But I don't _think_ so."

Sun finally gave an exasperated laugh. "Wow, what do they serve here these days? Say what you want, I've never flushed anything _that_ deadly into the sewers…"

Sun was met with the most withering, eyes-lidded, open-mouthed glare he'd ever seen on the girl, her ears downcast.

"Whaaat, I mean like… an _alligator_ or something…"

Blake said nothing, walked around the corner… and froze, eyes and ears alert.

Frowning, Sun turned as well.

Adam Taurus stood in the middle of the catwalk, suspended over the yawning crack of Mistral, sword drawn at his side. Other platforms connected and spanned the understructure here, mainly above them, a creaking causeway that audibly rattled in the wind.

"I've nearly torn myself apart trying to understand you, Blake," Adam said clearly, stoic. "Why you left. Where you failed to understand our cause. How you believe you can _defend_ your people by saving their _enemies!"_

Blake took a step forward. "Because _that_ is where _you_ failed to understand. I shouldn't have to point out that every human is as unique as every faunus! Calling an entire race your enemy, I don't _doubt_ your mind's in pieces…"

"Your delusions are so _miserable,_ Blake," Adam said, frustration in his voice. "The only place you have in their world is as their obedient little _PET!_ They're _USING you!"_

Blake blinked. He _truly_ seemed to believe that. "I'm standing here of my _own_ volition, no one else's. And between the two of us, _you're_ the one about to drop a _school_ onto a city full of your own kind!"

"Yeah," Sun said, weighing in, "it's not like the Academies are human-exclusive! The _headmaster_ is a faunus! Not even _Shade_ can say that!"

Blake nodded. "Yeah, of all places, why here? _You're_ the one being _used,_ Adam! It's like Sienna said! Someone else wants you to take Haven down _for them,_ and take the blame on behalf of _all_ faunus! Is that what you want?!"

Adam growled, hand clawing at his mask. _"Blake…_ all I want is for you to come back to me…! Y-you _broke my heart…!"_

Blake reeled. Adam was _always_ composed, rigid. That mask of his was only the one they could _see._

"You keep _hurting me,_ and even seek me out to jam your fingers in my wounds…! But I can _forgive_ you… I… _want…_ to forgive you! It can all be how it was, we can be how we were!"

Blake sighed. "I wanted that too, once. I didn't want to believe you were changing, but you _were._ The apologies, the excuses… I didn't believe in what we were doing anymore… and I couldn't believe _you_ anymore… Not when every life meant less and less, weighed against your _obsession."_

He twitched. _"My obsession…_ you disgrace your own with every breath. I don't _want_ to hurt you… _WHY do you keep MAKING me…?!"_

Blake glared. "You're so _desperate_ for control, you even tried to take over the White Fang, but then you turn around and insist you don't HAVE any control! You can't control _me,_ and that bothers you _so much—"_

The red steel swept to Adam's side, cleaving through one of the catwalk supports. _"All I ever wanted was to give us a new world…!_ But you don't have the _spine_ to set the old rot alight… I can't save you."

Blake finally reached for Gambol Shroud, two-handing it. "I'll do what I have to…"

Adam gave a sharp breath. "Like you did before?"

Blake charged in, the rickety steel rattling despite the lightness of her step. Adam waited, knuckles bristling around his blade's handle.

At last she reached him, putting all her weight into… a _block._ Wilt's edge slammed against the flat of the great cleaver, rattling Blake's bones, but ultimately Adam's odachi was lighter and bounced away for an instant.

An instant Blake Belladonna could capitalize on, unsheathing the katana and swiping both across in a scissor-like strike across his chest, Aura flaring. But she knew he wouldn't be staggered long, leaving two shadows rapidly as she vaulted over his head, and indeed despite this he swept Wilt high to deflect jabs she made for his head.

But then his other hand shot out, grabbing her around the ankle and twisting to slam her into the floor on the other side of him.

" _I_ was your teacher before the Huntsmen! You think anything's changed?!" Adam asked, foot still in his grasp as he raised his blade to lob it off…

Blake swapped her sword to its pistol form, aiming for his face and pulling the trigger as fast as she knew how. As she'd hoped, he deflected, and a good twist of her heel freed her as she shuffled back to her fee—

" _Yeah,_ she's not alone!" Sun cried in answer, staff and limb looping under Adam's sword-hefting arm, the rest of the staff crossing his neck where the boy's other hand met to choke it. The rest of Sun wrapped his legs around his middle, his burdensome weight leaving them lopsided.

Adam growled, his free hand grabbing at the staff before changing tact and reaching low, seeing Blake prepare to take advantage of the situation. His reach found Blush, which shifted obediently. He took aim and fired towards Blake, who flinched and huddled behind her cleaver.

"She wasn't alone _then_ either." Then he turned the rifle towards the blonde boy's head…

" _SUN!"_

The report of the rifle rang hollow as Sun wove out of its path, further choking the man and throwing him off balance against the railing, casting them both over the side. Blake gasped as she flung her head over to see Sun still clinging to Adam, who despite his full hands managed to catch the edge of a perpendicular catwalk running beneath them. Past that however was Mistral below, and a drop no landing strategy was likely to save you from.

Sun launched up to plant his feet on Adam's prone shoulders and jump back up to Blake's level, and no sooner has this happened than Adam rolled his way to the platform below and the light seemed to be sapped from the world, His hair and mask aglow.

Blake and Sun leapt back from each other as the severing force split the platform in two. The pair shared a look before Sun steepled his hands and Blake switched her katana to its kusarigama form. The golden clones leapt over opposite sides of the railing to flank the bladesman with identical swinging kicks, both blocked only for the pair to evade his retaliation and then hand from the floor of Adam's platform in wait.

For what, he found out moments later, as either clone grabbed onto his feet and held him to the spot while a whistling sound was joined by the twanging snap of cables as Blake let her weapon whirl on its ribbon, slicing through the dangling supports to her section of catwalk and leaving the end of the platform she stood on to fall upon the railing of Adam's. She slid down this ramp and into a surprise attack. His blade blocked her cleaver, but her knee slammed into his neck all the same.

Blake rolled off and over the side, arm linked with one of Sun's clones to swing under the platform before launching the kusarigama the rest of the way a few yards off, blade latching to the railing as a grappling hook, her momentum flinging her back onto the catwalk just as Adam's rifle went off to execute the two gold phantoms.

...Only for the _real_ Sun Wukong to swing in from the unbroken end of the upper catwalk and give him a fierce poke in the ribs with his staff, staggering the warrior to shuffle several feet down.

Adam looked up to find himself between the two fighters. He held Wilt towards Blake and Blush towards Sun, undeterred. Sun charged in first, staff planting into a groove in the floor as he pole-vaulted himself into the fray. Blush fired several times only to be deflected by a spin of the staff before the bleach blonde landed and rolled to close the distance. The staff collapsed into flintlock nunchaku as they spun and their owner pressed in.

Blush's rounds were only deflected once before Adam twisted to swap for Wilt, the blade glowing as the spinning pistols clattered and fired against it.

Blake saw what was happening and made her move, leaping to run atop the rail like a tightrope walker and firing pistol shots along the way. Adam barely paid her mind, the body of Blush catching her rounds with an idle flick of his wrist before shoving the blade's handle against one of Sun's whirling weapons and stopped it completely, following through to slam it against his head.

With this opening, he gave a firm poke with the blade which might have skewered a non-Huntsman, but which Sun's Aura stopped… _barely._ Instead he sailed back several feet.

"If you don't _MIND…!"_ Adam began, blocking Blake's cleaver and reaching to grab and arrest her upper arm, pulling her in to slam their heads together. She reeled, and a kick to her side put her on her back against the railing.

"...Blake and I would rather hack this out _alone…! "_ he finished, sheathing his blade as he glowed, preparing the killing stroke.

But as the sword split the air, Blake had tackled him, arms around his neck. She triggered her semblance as he stumbled forward, and as she leapt off she left behind a perfect stone statue of herself as encumbrance.

The Moonslice missed high as the weight pulled him back, Sun flinching against the steel as railing and support cables were shorn off above him, even severing the platform yards off and leaving much of what was past it to collapse loudly into the abyss.

Adam growled as he sheathed Wilt once more, twisting awkwardly with as he tried to heft the clone off her shoulders. _"...Y-you think THIS compares… TO THE BURDENS ON MY BACK?!"_

With a massive effort he lifted the clone off, surprising even Blake as she backed off it, pupils like pin pricks. He hurled it at her with all his strength, and the best she could do was duck, cleaver absorbing the blow as it grazed her.

But the full weight struck the platform behind her, bowing and buckling it before they all heard a resounding tinny snap and the platform fell away. There was a warbling ring of cables before Blake shrieked as one of them came down near her like a bullwhip. The whole platform wobbled as one of the edge cables was severed by it.

" _No…"_ Adam continued hand on his hilt. "They called me _crazy_ for making an enemy of the human world, but I've made fools of them _every time!_ But you won't believe in me, however I prove that to you!" He stalked ever closer. "Nowhere to _run_ this time, Blake…"

She should have been ready for it, but Blake winced as Wilt blasted hilt-first out of Blush's barrel and struck her right between the eyes. It was debilitating… but she knew Adam's playbook, as the sword spun back into his grasp. She gripped the railing for dear life and threw herself off the platform as the followup slice raked across the support.

All three cried out in surprise, fear or concern as the two remaining supports in the middle turned the long bit of catwalk into a seesaw, the former partners nearest their end pitching it down at them.

" _Blake!"_ Sun steepled his hands and backed off to balance his end. A pair of clones leapt out to aid him, as he hoped to whoever that souls weighed more than he thought.

Blake swung at the sudden list, but Adam hadn't been so fortunate, tumbling over her to the chasm beneath… only to be caught by Blake's hand, the odachi in his other.

"Oh _come ON!"_ Sun groaned, leaning as far back as he could, wondering if he could manage a third clone.

Adam stared up at her, speechless. But then he laughed.

"So telling, you lack the _conviction_ to do what has to be done… You're a _coward."_

" _N-no…!"_ Blake groaned, redoubling her grip against his weight. "The plan was _never_ to kill you! I'm taking you in to meet justice…"

Adam growled, almost disgusted that she was his sole lifeline. "And what would… _you_ … know about _justice?!"_

"Enough… to know that _perfect justice_ … an eye for an eye… is _totally_ incompatible with _mercy._ And that mercy isn't _weakness._ I'd rather forgive than _hate."_

She sensed it before it happened: the visceral _rage_ building before the red blade pierced her chest…

...But the switch was near instantaneous as a flawless ice sculpture appeared in her place, and she dashed up the railing to use it as a ladder. Adam snapped off the chilly hand gripping him and leveraged the sword to climb back to the platform even as the replica crumbled under his efforts.

"Blake… you're going to learn the _hard way_ ," he told her, climbing towards her with one hand on the rails. "And when I'm _done,_ you're going to wish you'd just let me fall."

Seeing the fruitless struggle, Sun let his avatars dive at Adam. The first slammed into his shoulder, throwing him back against the railing as the seesaw went vertical. A quick swipe from Adam dispelled it, and his hilt blocked the second as it slid into him, a powerful blow swatting it off to plummet out of sight.

Pressing his advantage, Adam brought out Blush and fired away, Blake responding with a series of shadows, flipping her way up the 'rungs' of the inverted platform's railing bar by bar in quick succession until she reached Sun, standing at the top.

"Lean up!" she instructed, as they pitched their bodies forward, still clutching the rails. The immediate effect was for the platform to pitch beyond vertical, the platform Adam climbed switching from a wall to a ceiling, and he had little choice but to dangle as it happened.

They carefully stepped over the underside of the catwalk as the sheer drop became a steep slope, no railings to cling to now. Blake shuffled forward toward Adam's end to counter the spinning platform's momentum, quickly stepping back past the center point as the motion shifted, stabilizing.

Wilt flung over the side to pierce the catwalk, providing a grip by which Adam Taurus hauled himself back up, taking stock of the situation. "I'm curious. If killing is off the table, how do you expect to save the loser _here?_ You're all about principles, but in the end the world doesn't _care_ what you stand for."

" _Jeez,_ does this guy ever _shut up?!"_ Sun asked, knees wobbling as he held his staff for balance.

The only answer was for Adam to launch Wilt like a buzzsaw, spinning backwards as Gambol Shroud was raised to counter it, the force great enough to keep spinning in midair even as it slammed into the katana repeatedly. It only ceased when Adam himself vaulted into the air after it, plucking it by its grip and propelling even greater force into a devastating downward chop.

Blake had narrowly evaded it, but Haven's faunus defenders were no less seated for it, the bit of catwalk wobbling from the impact even as the banging echoed. Worse still, they were tipping again with Adam's shift of weight. The remaining cables gave a despondent twang.

Blake went on the offensive, charging in to block low with the cleaver as Adam twisted into an upward slice. She worked in a few slashes with her other blade before Adam's was withdrawn, and both clashed on the spot with blender-like abandon, Wilt sparking with every hit as it glowed like embers.

Recognizing he'd become the tipping weight, Sun sprinted from behind Blake, hands steepled. The avatar leapt out from him, slid to a crouching stop, and Sun stepped upon its cupped palms as it boosted him into a flying leap over both of them.

Adam saw it, even as he dueled Blake. He didn't need a true opening… Blake was better than to present him that… only a moment of hesitation.

In his next swing, his left hand departed from Wilt and reached for Blush to _literally_ fire from the hip like an Old West duelist.

Blake went full defense, posturing to block the shots and even hopping a step back.

"You dare call yourself a _faunus?"_ he seethed, sheathing Wilt. He twisted on the spot as light vanished from all but his hair and his blade. Blake gasped, too late to stop it as it happened.

Sun touched down into a forward roll, head down as the moonslice missed his backside by inches… but Sun didn't end at his backside.

" _AAAAAU-UGHKK!"_

The ball that was Sun Wukong collapsed and skid over the catwalk, his voice cracking with the agony and his Aura flaring brightly as it went out.

Blake saw it as if in slow motion, the stroke connecting a few inches over the base of his tail and snipping it cleanly, the limb sailing over the edge and out of sight before the boy could even appreciate his loss. What remained of his Aura was glowing gold at his wound, attempting to repair the damage. A nauseating chill ran down her back. It was all too familiar.

Sun's screams persisted once he hit the ground, positively writhing as the bulk of Adam's attack carried out to hit the distant catwalks at their level, twisting and crumpling them almost in silence by contrast. Both hands reached behind to the end of his spine, and the first to contact the wound shot out as he convulsed, like he'd touched a burning stove. Glistening crimson coated the same hand, and rubies were slowly shed upon the floor.

Blake only realized she'd stood frozen when their footing started to shift. Sun's weight was tipping them.

She ignored Adam entirely, slipping past him in a burst, but then she was halted all at once by a hard grip on her arm. Blake's head swiveled dangerously to meet Adam's hidden eyes.

"If he wants to fight for humans, he might as well _look_ the par—

Blake could scarcely comprehend the sudden _rage_ she felt, as before he could finish his insult he was left gripping the paradox of a shadow made of fire as she blew past him. Adam barely appreciated the clone's furious visage before it detonated in his face and threw him limply back uphill as the platform dipped.

She raced pell mell towards the boy, still too agonized to even recognize in his writhings that he was slipping nearer to the edge. She reached with all her will as he slipped over.

Gripping the rail beneath, Blake found herself hanging from the catwalk, her other hand only grasping the chain on Sun's pants as he continued to simper.

"Sun…! _SUN, give me your hand…!"_

His sodden eyes turned up towards her, childlike. She'd never seen him cry.

"Sun, I know it hurts, but you've _gotta_ help me out here!"

His eyes turned sharply down the the abyss as he shuddered. "D-drop me."

Blake went numb. "N _-No!"_

"I can't f-fight like this, I'm not letting you lose protecting _ME!"_

" _I'M NOT DROPPING YOU!"_

Adam got to his feet, reaching around to the railing with a start as he began to slide, and the platform fully inverted.

Shaking, Sun's hands reached for his belt.

"Wh-what're you…?!" Blake began. "No…! Sun, _god damn it…! Don't do this to me!"_

"Blake… I-it's not your fault… this is m- _my_ choice…!"

She dug into her memory as his belt came loose. "Y-you think your being selfless, _but you're NOT!"_

"I… I know."

Blake couldn't help it. She shuddered with tears as well. _"If you do it I'll NEVER forgive you!"_

He unbuttoned his jeans. "As long as you forgive _yourself…"_

She screamed as he slipped from his pants.

But the kusarigama's aim was true, grappling around his feet, and this time even he couldn't wriggle out of it, grabbing his pants as they sailed past.

"B-Blake—"

" _SHUT UP!"_ she demanded, tears still running down her face. "J-just _shut up…!_ How _dare_ you…"

Above them they heard a laugh.

"It's just so _fitting,"_ Adam said, making his way steadily down, "clinging to the lost cause, even when the _guarantee_ is failure." He scooped up the abandoned staff, left wedged in a part of the platform. "I almost want to keep this, to remind me of this moment."

"High Leader Taurus!" called a voice, drawing his gaze. "Perhaps _I_ can be of some help?"

Her mottled skin was less discernible in the shade, but they all recognized her nonetheless, standing atop the highest tier of the catwalk.

"Sister Ilia?" Adam called with a grin. "I see the Belladonna tale grows all the more bleak. I'm glad you could make it here for this moment. Hold this for me."

He tossed the staff across the distance, where Ilia caught it readily. "High Leader, are you sure? The mission—"

"The mission is well in hand," Adam retorted firmly. "Just watch… as I—"

" _HEY, ILIA!"_ cried another voice as bouncing cyan hair rounded the corner.

"What…?" Adam whispered to himself.

"Oh no…" Blake groaned.

"I got all the ones I could find up to this point, but I think we have company!" Bulma said, oblivious as Ilia stared back at her in pure shock. "I can hear something behi— _fssshmmmwrynnng?!"_

" _Shut up, you idiot… HUMAN!"_ Ilia said as she gagged Bulma, switching gears and being rather obvious about it. "I-I'll kill you where you stand, sticking your nose where—!"

" _ENOUGH!"_ Adam shouted, visibly furious. "I thought the _world_ of you, _SISTER!_ Of all faunus, you _share_ the same pain I carry, yet there you stand, manipulated beside the enemy!"

The air rumbled with his anger, even as he gave an insidious smile. "Although… there is _some_ consolation. Woman… I'm glad I'll have the chance to claim your head with my own hands."

Bulma couldn't help but swallow as the man stared her down again… Her heartbeat hammered, and she couldn't be sure if the rattling in her legs was real or imagined.

"But first... I have to say goodbye," Adam said, raising his blade high. _He was going to slice off their half of the platform._

And for an instant, Blake Belladonna wondered if Adam had been right about her…

...And then they all heard it, and froze. It wasn't Adam's anger rumbling, nor Bulma's nerves shaking her… but the echoing rev of an engine.

Blake looked up as it went quiet. Bulma and Ilia were wordless as they stared at the newcomer. All Blake could see was a momentary fleck of gold, before it backed away suddenly. There was but a moment's pause.

Then, all at once the engine blared its loudest. Blake saw a wheel hop over the railing before the rest of a sunset-hued motorcycle caught traction with its rear wheel and launched across the gap to slam like a comet upon the upper half of the seesaw, right below Adam who couldn't have prepared for it.

Blake barely held on as the platform instantly tipped forty-five degrees, whipping them out as the bike revved. Adam fell upon the windshield as the tires fought to grip the steel and not slide into the abyss. Its effort was ultimately rewarded as the weight alone tipped the catwalk into a ramp, which Adam, the bike and its rider all launched from to the other side of the gap.

The combined forces put the catwalk segment into a spin, and Blake found herself and Sun looping at the crest of the centripetal motion, only to swing low at Bulma and Ilia. Blake seized the moment and let go, hurled like a trebuchet as she in turn swung Sun's body ahead of her.

For a heart-stopping moment, Blake thought they'd undershot it, but Ilia's hand clapped over Sun's wrist even as she dangled below. She turned to see what became of Adam.

On the other side, the White Fang demolition expert was unfortunate enough to turn the corner with her duffel bag at the instant the bike landed. Adam was thrown off as the cycle landed and squealed to a swerving stop. His momentum was lost as it transferred into the unsuspecting flunkie, who could only scream in surprise as she was punted over the railing to grow silent in the long fall.

Adam, slumped against the railing, got back to his feet as the driver killed the motor and slid off. He panted as even through the mask recognition filled his features. "Wait…"

Meanwhile, Blake used a shadow to leap up to the platform with Bulma and Ilia, who suddenly found it far easier to hoist Sun to safety. She turned. Blake was already certain who it was… but she still couldn't believe her own eyes. She sprinted around the outer path of the catwalk before Bulma or Ilia could say anything. Ilia checked her weapon. "You know first aid?"

"For _humans,_ but I think I— Why's he in his boxers…?"

Ilia ignored the question. "Stay with him, I'm gonna—"

But at that moment someone rounded the corner in a combat stance. "Hey! Friend or f… _Bulma?!"_

* * *

Adam stared into the lilac eyes, surrounded by golden hair. The human girl faced her with remarkable calm… _too_ calm.

"it's _you…_ from Beacon." It took him a moment to appraise this blast from the past. She was different somehow. He distinctly recalled wounding her grievously. Then he saw the Atlas tech prosthetic where her right arm would be. It was so seamless he'd taken it for armor at a glance. "Clearly it was a mistake not to take your _head_ last time."

Yang Xiao Long took the threat without flinching. "Yeah… you won't get a second chance at that. Adam, right?"

He gave a hollow snort of mirth. "So Blake _did_ mention me."

"Maybe one time," Yang admitted. "Mostly the news wouldn't shut up about you. With no school I had a _lot_ of time on my hands."

Adam's head tilted slightly, and she could tell he was looking her over. _"Hands_ … Truly."

She heard the lightest footsteps approach from behind, and only needed the slightest glance to recognize Blake, stopping dead and staring at her like a phantom. Yang settled for raising a brow, floored as she was. Even _that_ short glance was dangerous with Adam, let alone turning her back.

Meanwhile, Blake beheld the golden warrior beside her mighty steed. It was _impossible,_ yet there she stood. "Y-Yang… I—"

"Hey Blake," Yang greeted quietly. "You and Sun okay?"

"I'm… I'm okay, Sun's hurt, but… Yang I'm sorr—"

" _Blake,"_ she said firmly. "Let's save all that for later, I really need your head _here,_ not Beacon, okay?"

Blake stood still with her ears flat, but slowly nodded before remembering Yang's back was turned. "R-right."

"For what it's worth though…" Yang said, making Blake's ears prick "...I realized, really recently that… sometimes when people leave you, it's not because they don't care… It's that they care too much."

Blake's mouth gently parted. She could scarcely believe any of this.

Yang turned just enough to flash her a smirk. "And if I can forgive… well… I can give you a fair shot, that's all…"

Months of guilt, regret and assumptions of what had become of her partner gave way under the only words she'd wanted to hear in a long time, flowing out and down the river as twin trails under her eyes. She swallowed, wiping them away frantically.

Yang gave a humored sigh. "Aw man… Loosen up, we've got work to do."

"R-right!" Blake answered, more excitedly than she'd intended.

All the while Adam stared. "Were there any tears for _me_ Blake? For us?"

Blake shook her head, in disbelief rather than answer. "Too many. That well's dry."

Adam's lip curled into a sneer as he lifted Wilt. The two teammates stood ready.

* * *

The two Maidens tumbled down the shaft, their massive elemental blades barely viable in the confined space with _just_ room enough to swing. Raven needed room, and found it by piercing the side of the shaft and riding her own momentum through it, braking rapidly enough to surprise Cinder who shot past as the shaft finally leveled out into a straight drop.

With a clear target and nowhere for it to retreat, Raven wound up a bolt of lightning and aimed it for Cinder's heart.

Cinder countered with a bolt of her own, and both vied to overpower the other as they fell. The rogue's single eye peeked behind herself. They couldn't be far from the bottom, and Maiden or not, how she handled that could decide their fight.

And indeed, she glimpsed the floor. It was all she needed. Twisting her body, she angled her feet above her and there was not a jet, but a blistering explosion which filled the width of the shaft. Raven had little choice but to abandon casting her lightning, instead blasting frost beneath as the heat rose up.

The expanding blast had shot Cinder forward like a bullet in a barrel, and twisting around, nothing less would stop her. She angled her feet, seconds from slamming down and combusted once more. This time _she_ shot through the flames, half afraid in not knowing the Vault's makeup herself. She hit enameled stone in a blur of pain and confusion that knocked the wind out of her instantly. She was sailing through the air before landing again in a roll toward a final stop. Hardly a graceful landing, skipping like a stone in a pond, but she'd survived it.

She looked up just in time to see a fountain of ice blossom into a florid pincushion of shards where the shaft had ended… only to duck as the shards became shrapnel as Raven burst out of the mass like a bomb, icy spears smashing against surfaces and echoing back from the abyss all around.

Cinder summoned a curved blade and dagger, but Raven kicked off the floor and sailed over her, coming to a landing a ways off on the other side. It was only now that Cinder took stock of her environment. She could just hear water flowing somewhere far below, and looked upon the smooth cavern which expanded out into darkness on nearly every side. Some natural cavity eroded from inside by the water. But that was where nature ended.

As Raven stood there, a path of blue light on the floor stretched out, touching three successively larger circles on the floor which illuminated the area, emblazoned with a white fleur de lis style emblem. They stood upon a wide bridge from one end of the crevice to the other. Cinder marveled at the sight well above them, a supernaturally huge tree, as tall as the cavern itself with glowing ember-like blossoms which shed and filled the air like smouldering ashes.

But grandest of all, before the tree, was a doorway. Fifty feet tall, set into the stone beneath the greatwood, this portal was as akin to the term as was possible. Because, beyond it, was a blue and gold haze of sun and sky.

But Cinder had to remain focused. Curiosity could be sated _later._

Raven smirked before she leapt back into the doorway. Cinder hesitated, but approached.

The closer she got, the more curious it became. There _was_ indeed a place for Raven to stand, having drawn a white blade for her odachi already. Cinder betrayed an astonished breath. Inside the door might have been another _world_ or perhaps some secret place within it for all she knew. Blue sky above, and an endless sea of dunes. The air shimmered with latent heat.

At the doorway itself, she paused. Her blade raked over the granular material just beyond. It was indeed sand, or something close.

" _You seem eager to take our fight here,"_ she told Raven. _"So what is this, a trap laid by Ozpin? Only the worthy may step foot without sinking beneath the sands or something?"_

Raven scoffed. "Old man Ozpin, setting a lethal trap? If _only_ he were so practical. But he's too sentimental for that."

" _Yes,"_ Cinder agreed, nodding as she stepped forward onto the sands which held her without incident. _"But you have to admit, he's more impressive than I gave him credit for if he put all_ this _together. Or at least he_ was.

" _Now… let's discuss you retrieving that Relic for me."_

Raven's smirk became a sneer. "After all this… _why_ would you ever think I'd do that?"

Cinder shrugged. _"Honestly, you're just wasting time. The Relic is out in the open, beyond Ozpin's protection. That's_ still _a victory for_ her, _even if it's not ideal._ _Dear Raven… you're not Ozpin's girl, you just want to survive the conflict, right? Well you're presently doing everything you can to ruin that for yourself. Hand me the Relic, I neglect to mention this little tousle and let you live, everybody wins."_

Raven laughed, eyes narrowing. "You really _are_ just some idiot, aren't you? Your master wants nothing less than Armageddon, so giving her the keys to it isn't what I'd call 'surviving.' You're a _tool,_ and nothing more. Worse still, you let Salem get her hooks into you _deep,_ by the look of that arm."

Cinder said nothing, stone-faced as her eye twitched.

"You're _doomed._ A thrall. Whatever she's promised you, she lied. If you can't tell, then maybe that Grimm has already seeped its way into your thoughts. I suppose it wouldn't let you _know_ that."

Cinder once more said nothing, a black fist clenching.

"So here's a counter-offer," Raven said, walking towards her and the doorway. "I keep the relic, and you can stay here and pound sand—"

But quite suddenly, the massive doorway was barred by a plume of grit as the desert game alive, glowing before the exit was encased in a sheet of crystalline glass.

" _First rule to any engagement, Raven:_ know your enemy," Cinder told her lowly. _"I've done my homework on_ you, _but whatever your intentions were for_ this _dramatic arena… you clearly haven't done_ yours."

Raven stepped back as the sands swirled around Cinder, a whirlwind forming and tossing more and more sand into the air like swarming locusts until the Rogue Maiden could no longer be seen.

The mound swirled higher and higher into the air until it began to bulge at the sides and top, threading out. A gap in the storm formed in the bottom, and—

Raven realized it as a single sphere of molten glass appeared in the topmost bulge, off-center, and the shapes refined as they grew more solid and distinct.

 _It was humanoid._ A titan of sand and desert glass, in Cinder's own image. The glowing orange sphere in the head… _an eye…_ glared down at her, swirls of looser sand trailing down the head as hair. It turned its gaze to the right arm, which glowed and lengthened as the surface hardened into lustrous glass. _A colossal blade._

Raven took on a fighting stance. Perhaps she _had_ miscalculated...

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hehehe, come on, too many possibilities for the Relic's realm NOT to be used as an arena. Especially an arena that's so heavily to Cinder's advantage.**_

* * *

 _ *****FIRST THING'S FIRST: I have a DISCORD SERVER!*****_

 _ **Yes indeed, if you want a place to hang with people who love RWBY and Dragonball, I can't think of a better place… or I'd already have joined it!**_

 _ **Basic rules, fun, themed member roles according to user preferences! Not crowded, so don't worry about getting lost in the shuffle! A more individual experience for a more laid back setting…**_

 _ **HERE'S YOUR INVITE!**_

 _ **TPrSvY9**_

* * *

 _ **It's been a minute, as they say, since our last entry. To be entirely truthful, Chapter 12 isn't ACTUALLY finished, just in its final scene, but I figured I'd put this out and break my rule for once, since 12 and 13 will be featured with… something special.**_

 _ **That, and I'm going to be in the process of moving to another state and adjusting to a work transfer out there as well, so writing and everything else needs to take a backseat until things have normalized. Once I'm done though, we'll be into Volume 7, so hopefully my brief hiatus won't be terrible.**_

 _ **Alright, so… before you say anything, yes, Vegeta is hobbled after what happened and is sluggishly recovering. I've said it before, but we all know Vegeta would wipe this battle if he wasn't held back, so while I've tried to justify that, I apologize if it ever feels contrived. I promise you won't have to worry about him holding back EVER soon.**_

 _ **Weiss takes on Emerald alone and triumphs. Yeah, I saw "So This Is Basically RWBY" too, and yes… Weiss on her own has a bad track record despite being nearly the most powerful, most versatile member of Team RWBY. I really like how this fight went, including her peering behind the curtain on the Z world, after initially failing and being punished for closing her eyes right in front of Emerald. I like fights and character interaction to go hand in hand, and you probably noticed links between what Emerald learned from Cinder, and clashes of philosophy between them and a Huntress like Weiss.**_

 _ **With everything like the wall fight in play, I tried REALLY hard to use the choreography like Monty might. That goes for the fight with Adam as well, and in general… I hope it wasn't TOO hard to follow. The Adam fight will inevitably be hardest to understand because it takes place in a non-canon area of Haven with no distinct landmarks to reference. I tried to be clear, but… I really couldn't think of how better I could structure that fight.**_

 _ **But later… Hazel and Ozpin finally meet. Volume 5 turned the cool-headed Hazel, a great and mysterious character, into a mindless berserker who blames Ozpin for something that any sane person would know to be a freak accident. He also has an awful semblance, blocking pain, which only makes him more likely to hurt himself.**_

 _ **Well, fixed that as I could… Hazel instead holds a seething, focused hate for Ozpin that remains controlled. We bring back Mountain Glenn to reveal the death blow that doomed the populace was a distraction by Salem's goons of the time, and Ozpin finally does something TRULY morally grey in ordering the tunnels sealed. Thus, sacrificing hundreds… including the family of Hazel, once one of his trusted agents. THIS I believe to be better cause for Hazel to so entirely turn his back, despite his shows of character. His semblance is also changed to be immovable, the hard counter of the unstoppable force. Can't be knocked down if he doesn't let it happen, or loses focus… or gets his legs cut off. Intensely durable. A true human tank.**_

 _ **Then Adam vs Blake and Sun. It's LONG, but I like how it turned out, especially given it's before Yang even turns up. Poor Sun is injured in an ultimate insult. I go over it much later, but Faunus with their feral features removed have both a history, and in some cases a STIGMA. After all, you can imagine what SOME Faunus might do if they could have a chance to be treated as equals to the human population. I know that's dark as black, but… Ilia did it, albeit without losing anything.**_

 _ **Yang turns up and is a LOT more forgiving of Blake, far sooner than in canon. But as she suggests, her time with Raven taught her that things weren't always as simple as they looked, and that if she cared for someone, she could give them the chance to justify themselves. Otherwise, this is PRETTY similar to how things went down in Volume 6 in terms of setup… and that's at once a coincidence, and also NOT… Honestly, Volume 6's handling of Adam vs Bumblebee went about exactly as I'd have handled it, with exceptions. It's not going to be exact, it's going to unfold in its own way, but I'm not the type to make things different for the sake of being different. I'll be different so I'm not LITERALLY retreading lines and scenes from the canon… "Power Within" did that a fair bit, and as much as I love it, those were always the scenes that held it back… but unless it's distracting, keeping what's already perfect is usually preferred.**_

 _ **You might also note that while important, and fun —I hope— I'm not putting terribly much emphasis on Cinder fighting Raven. It happens, and it's explosive, but more of a backdrop. As much as I enjoyed their duel in Volume 5, it was a mistake to make it the sole spectacle of the finale. Two characters with no history whatsoever locked in a fight to the death with magical anime powers. Volume 3 communicated the strength of a full Maiden fighting the enigmatic Professor Ozpin as a footnote. Barely lasted thirty seconds but it got the point across. Cinder vs Raven in canon left everyone who mattered, and the long awaited reunion of Team RWBY, entirely in the back seat. Not to tip my hand, but a final fight featuring the characters with history and their struggle against a foe representing their demons whose power eclipses them is far and away more what I think we ALL wanted and never got.**_

 _ **Oh, and if you were confused by the words "The Fuku statue's burden was ended as her sky fell at last," that was a brief callback to Chapter 5 where I gave that statue in Haven (which I realize in canon was Jinn, but I wrote that before Volume 6) a background, as a mythical figure who held up the sky. Raven and Cinder slammed and shattered through the statue on their way ultimately down to the vault.**_

* * *

 _ **Now for some comments…**_

 _ **qazse**_ _ **: Me too!**_

 _ **Guest1**_ _ **: Thanks. I don't like to slam DBR even when I have I have issues with its story. Either way, having a story that's an homage to your work is worth celebrating. It's clearly made for people with a certain philosophy that runs counter to my own and therefore they prefer it over TF, but I hate when people try to pit our stories against each other. It feels in bad taste.**_

 _ **Guest2**_ _ **: Yep! Can't really answer your theory directly, obviously.**_

 _ **Throwing the Shade**_ _ **: Ooh… I'm sorry to disappoint you on that whole Frieza showing up thing, I definitely didn't say WHEN, I said SOON. Didn't mean to leave that impression.**_

 _ **Edward4555**_ _ **: Look, that's as low as I can go without having a boring story where the RWBY characters are bystanders who do nothing. It's power they can't access, it does exceedingly little for them. We're talking about Namek Saga threats here. It's not like that without reason, just bear with me until I can explain just what makes the Remnant people so darn special in this respect.**_

 _ **VargasREborn**_ _ **: Hahahaha, thanks man, what a fun comment all-around. One Piece isn't my thing, but hey, glad to hear people inspired! Yeah, Goku's scene there was meant to set the mood and create a tense atmosphere as the respective trap and counter-trap play out. I can't think about the scene without imagining a certain soundtrack theme. Search YouTube for "Bara Otome" if you're curious...**_

 _ **Yeah, "necessary evil" is probably a good term for it. Though I can't pretend that Maiden powers won't retain ANY relevance later in the story. It's limited, but it's the only reason Ginyu will even be a factor, as I wouldn't bother effectively resurrecting him if he couldn't serve as a decent obstacle. Basically, if a Maiden knows how to use their ki… there's a significant effective boost to their abilities. Don't kill me here, RWBY is just VERY limited in what powers can even BEGIN to challenge Z Tier abilities. I don't have much to keep them competitive. Suffice to say, magic doesn't USUALLY work like this, but in the case of powers associated with Ozpin, the magic is bound to their AURA… and in Transposition F, we've established that Aura is just an aspect of Ki. This conjunction has consequences.**_

 _ **Alex Bloodbane**_ _ **: Indeed! I wanted Transposition F to begin with a slow burn, with its first act dedicated to the initial groupings getting to know each other. The Z cast are slowly familiarized with their new surroundings and (mostly) take a hands-off approach, flies on the wall to their new friends and their plight. The RWBY cast are enlightened to or foreshadowed of the Z cast's powers and the threat on the horizon, but are left to sort their own business… until the fabled world of Z finally kicks the door down, and it all finally becomes REAL…**_

 _ **Bitjama**_ _ **: Yes yes… Also, I need to play Sekiro one of these days. Before or after Bloodborne, I'm not sure.**_

 _ **Vikasa:**_ _ **Hehe, clearly I agree! As for RWBY characters hybridizing their fighting styles, as Doctor Strangelove once said, "It is not only POSSIBLE… it is ESSENTIAL…"**_

 _ **I don't see why DBZ should overwrite their uniqueness, merely AMPLIFY it. Sure, they gain things like flight and energy blasts, but it would be criminal if Weiss powered-up by assuming the much maligned DBZ constipation stance…**_

 _ **vincentburns343**_ _ **: Mmm, I hope I satisfied your expectations. He's working his way up to it, no question. I hope you'll forgive one last road block with his virgin, busted Aura putting his body into a state of shock. Being a prodigy, he's recovering relatively fast, but he would never see it that way.**_

 _ **10Soah86**_ _ **: Yes, that's my notion as well. It's hard to keep such a notorious and quantified threat like Frieza consistently entertaining and threatening, and I feel less is more. Hold off on his scenes unless there's a need for him… and recognize the value of his absence.**_

 _ **TF2 Crossover Man**_ _ **: Thank you! Always nice to hear from ya. Yeah, I wish I could say it was something I particularly worked hard for, but as long as I'm familiar enough with a character, unless the character has a particular gimmick or something, it kinda just flows out of my head and onto the page. The VOICE of a character is something I just sorta internalize by osmosis.**_

 _ **Mr.J316**_ _ **: You're too kind…**_

 _ **Guest3**_ _ **: Technically speaking, Vegeta wasn't damaged; his Aura largely copped the blast.**_

 _ **Jackalope89**_ _ **: Hehehe, that's funny… but Cinder would be reaching pretty far to look at hulked-out, hard-browed, widow-peaked Getes and suggest androgyny…**_

 _ **Edward4555**_ _ **: Lol, well, I don't think I said Salem WAS immortal, even if she WOULD be as far as Huntsmen of the day were concerned. She's just… VERY durable… and there's a reason for that. No, the reason isn't magic… You're knocking on the door of things I cannot WAIT to get into later… but alas, for now, that's for me to know and you to find out.**_

 _ **Gojosin**_ _ **: Fairly reasoned.**_

 _ **Random**_ _ **: Urgh… Yeah, I'm sorry, but the forensic level of analysis… I try, but I'm balancing hard scaling crap against storytelling and entertainment. It's like juggling chainsaws, it really is. You have to give me magic here, because it's one of the few things that are largely undefined in Dragonball yet have profound effects, AND exist in RWBY.**_

 _ **As far as growth rate, I've already got the endgame figured out well in advance, but we KNOW Goku was able to achieve enormous growth in only six days through a specific method.**_

 _ **Yes… I know it's Goku, a Saiyan and a prodigy… but I HAVE to highball that growth rate to maximize their abilities, and the Saiyan thing doesn't REALLY count against them for reasons I'll go into later.**_

 _ **SuperSaiyajin4Vegeta**_ _ **: We all do, mang…**_

 _ **Guest4**_ _ **: That was not lost on me, my dude, I think you'll be quite happy with my solution.**_

 _ **Blinded in a bolthole**_ _ **: I mentioned this to the other guy, but Vegeta wasn't TRULY damaged. Just his Aura.**_

 _ **TheB**_ _ **: *Sigh* I know, I hate to handcuff the Z characters, but if they escalated things you know it would be over in seconds, making Team RWBY's struggles meaningless. I try my hardest not to make their inaction look like an excuse, but yeah. I think Gohan switching gears upon seeing his new friend injured and being unsure how to help is fairly organic though, he IS just a kid.**_

 _ **And well, as for Salem… it would be a mite more complicated than that for a few reasons. You're assuming Salem's human-looking body is the whole of her being…**_

 _ **Guest5**_ _ **: Indeed… once Salem proves… ever so slightly more impressive to Frieza than he expects (more of a nuisance as well) in a certain respect, he will be more inclined to make a silk purse of the sow's ear of a situation he's landed in.**_

 _ **Sabo88**_ _ **: Appreciate it, man! I understand why people get frustrated. I know it's a bit like when a superhero allows the police to arrest them in a movie or something. You know narratively there's a reason for this disarmament, but your id wants the hero to say "f*** the police!" and down the whole opposition with godly strength.**_

 _ **RadBman21**_ _ **: Hahaha, I need to watch Jojo some time. Thanks for the enthusiasm dude!**_

 _ **Guest6**_ _ **: Well the key to that plan is that Cinder has no idea WHERE Raven sent it, let alone to Tai. You can't see past the red void, so as far as Cinder is concerned, the Relic could be ANYWHERE.**_

 _ **X3runner**_ _ **: I always look forward to your reviews, dude, lol. Interesting to know you use voice to write them. Always glad for the vote of confidence!**_

 _ **RinneItachi**_ _ **: It's one thing to write something in the hopes that it's better, it's another for others to say you're achieving that goal, so comments like yours make it all worth the effort in my eyes. I'm just a fanfic writer, but redeeming Volume 5 was definitely one of my early goals for Transposition F.**_

 _ **Kolneg Stouthammer**_ _ **: Uh… thank you?**_

 _ **yfnjustin**_ _ **: I already replied to this person, but… can we be transparent that he means it's not to HIS taste? People understand that, right? That something can be well constructed and good in quality, but simply not appeal to YOU? That's what he eventually said, but he phrased it as a wholesale indictment. That said, the only "overpowering" I've done is literally with the most powerful fighters in RWBY fighting the weakest characters in Dragonball at their WORST because they have to limit themselves. I can understand some frustration, but I'm not doing anyone dirty this way, it's for the sake of narrative. I get the feeling this attitude though comes from a sentiment that any non-DBZ character getting one over on a DBZ character is just taboo. Hence, the stomp.**_

 _ **nickz24**_ _ **: I most certainly will!**_

 _ **Hyde**_ _ **: So did I, my friend! That's why I'm writing it!**_


End file.
